


Mon Coeur t'Appartient

by Lumieerie



Category: The Tarot Sequence - K.D. Edwards
Genre: Anxiety, Banter, Biting, Boundary Negotiations, Coffee date, Comfort, Companion Bond Feelings, Dancing Lessons, Fake Dating, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Implied Max/Quinn, Kissing, Laser Tag, Love Letters, M/M, Multiple Pov, Mutual Pining, Paparazzi, Park date, Tallasmen, caution: soft boys in LOVE, chapter 7 is smut but the rest of the fic is not, consent talk, formal date, heart eyes, implied ciaran/kellum, more like a medium sauté, mytower, petnames, seamagic, this is not a slow burn, this is so cheesy i love it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:27:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 33,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24318043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumieerie/pseuds/Lumieerie
Summary: By the time Rune is in decent day clothing and down the stairs, into the living room, Brand is cursing up a storm. “What is going on-” His words die, leaving the air void of emotion as he stares at the TV screen. It shows a picture of Addam, Rune, and Brand, all at Poseidon Park yesterday. Rune’s in the middle, blushing with embarrassment as Brand and Addam help him right himself after his stumble. Flashing words slide across the bottom of the TV:SWEPT OFF HIS FEET: LAST SUN HEIR HAS NOT ONE BUT TWO LOVERS? MORE NEWS TONIGHT AT TEN.“Oh,” Rune says.
Relationships: Brandon Saint John/Addam Saint Nicholas, Rune Saint John/Addam Saint Nicholas, Rune Saint John/Brandon Saint John, Rune Saint John/Brandon Saint John/Addam Saint Nicholas
Comments: 19
Kudos: 28





	1. It's A Date: Rune POV

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alisonlynn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alisonlynn/gifts).



> So, I wrote this in less than two weeks. I wrote this as a birthday present for Mel on the discord server! It's a couple days late but originally this was not planned to be... more than one chapter. Welp here we are now!!!
> 
> SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO  
> [Strumie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astrumiel/profile) for helping with the love letter in chapter 5 and being my 'impulse control' for when I was ready to throw the fic away.  
> [Egg](https://archiveofourown.org/users/egglorru/profile) for being the best editor/proof reader a gal could ask for and answering all my canon-related questions no matter how dumb they were.  
> and  
> [Ink](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drosana/profile) for giving me amazing date ideas, telling me what was 'On Brand,' for Brand, and just being amazing.
> 
> Those three are so lovely and they even played along in pretending not to know I was working on Mel's fic. I genuinely could not write this without their help and I'm so grateful!!! 
> 
> Happy birthday Mel!!! I give you, fake dating tallasmen just like you wanted.

“This reads like a song from that new show on Netflix,” Rune says with a sigh, tossing the fifth love letter into a pile on the table. He ignores the laugh from Brand and picks up the last one- the last one for today, at least. It’s shorter than the previous one, but reads like a message from Grindr.

He’s quick to toss that into the burn-pile as well. “Did we get any real mail?” 

Brand shakes his head, “Unless you count the water bill, no. Any suitor catch your eye,” his voice becomes a tease. 

Rune resists the urge to give his Companion a rude gesture. “Did you know that having nice shoes means we should fuck?” He rolls his eyes along with Brand and shrugs. “This is getting annoying.” 

The first letter arrived weeks ago, anonymous and full of vulgarity that was meant to seduce him. It hadn’t worked. He didn’t even know where the idea started but suddenly all of New Atlantis was obsessed with Rune Saint John, last survivor of the Sun Court, finding someone to love. 

_Stupid_. 

“Maybe we should fake date,” he offers to Brand. 

He half expects Brand to sputter or call him an idiot, but that is not what happens. 

He blinks, stares at Rune with his bright blue eyes, and shrugs. “I think it would be a pretty obvious lie,” he says. “Everyone already knows that as your Companion I would do anything for you.” Then he adds, “Also you can’t handle dating me for real, what makes you think fake dating is going to help?” There’s a challenge lingering in the air, quiet and unspoken for so many years. 

“Can’t I,” Rune blurts out. His nerves flare up, stomach lurching at his own impulsiveness. He opens and closes his mouth in quick succession, trying to think of something, anything, to back-track and fix his mistake. 

Then Brand’s sitting next to him and cupping his chin. They’re unnaturally close. Rune can feel a pulse of heat through the Companion bond. He swallows, meeting Brand’s eyes with trepidation. _Brand’s eyes are really pretty_ , he thinks. _I could lose myself in the depths of his eyes_. Then he chides himself, _stop thinking about Brand’s eyes._

“You can’t,” Brand says firmly, but he doesn’t let go of Rune’s chin. His eyes flicker downward and Rune almost thinks Brand’s going to kiss him. He doesn’t. “Let’s figure out this mess first before we have any of that.” He says and then he moves away. 

Rune aches, already missing that proximity. “Fine,” he says, knowing what Brand meant. They have been dancing around each other since their first kiss when they were thirteen. Sure, Rune had been drunk back then, but the kiss had been real and it’s no secret that he wants to kiss Brand again- for real. 

He sighs. “What do we do then?”

“I hate to suggest it, but let’s ask _him_.”

“I’m sorry, did you just suggest we ask Lord Tower? Who are you and what have you done with my Brand?” 

Brand snorts, “Shut up. Just text him and we’ll go from there, idiot.” 

Usually the Tower replies instantly when Rune texts him. It’s different today, but he doesn’t let that bother him. Instead, he takes the time to get ready and then follow Brand to the car. Once they’re pulling out of the driveway, Rune’s phone vibrates and he doesn’t have to check it to know that the Tower wants him there in person to talk about it. 

Traveling to the Tower’s building, even after all this time of knowing and working for him, never got boring. The twenty-six story building rose above the surrounding buildings and stood out even more. In pristine condition, the building was made of limestone and had eight eagles glaring down at civilians from high parapets. Beautiful and a little intimidating. 

“Ten bucks says he’s going to laugh at you,” Brand says as the two of them made their way through the lobby. He hands Rune a key card that allows him entry to Tower’s penthouse elevator. “Don’t cause too much trouble,” he adds after a moment. 

Rune rolls his eyes. “Who me? I would never cause trouble on purpose.” 

“Quit your bullshit,” Brand hisses right before the door slides shut and Rune’s left alone. 

Rune wishes he didn’t have to do this alone, things were always easier with Brand at his side. But he kept the two of them apart for their own good. Brand’s need to instigate and Tower’s… _everything_ did not clash well at all. It was like pitting two lions in a cage- only this time Brand wouldn’t win. 

The elevator dings, a loud sound dragging Rune from his thoughts, and he enters Lord Tower’s penthouse with ease. In comparison to the outside of the building, the penthouse is spacious and less-fancy, like he wasn’t trying to impress anyone. He stops, listening as two voices mingle further inside. 

“Come in, Rune,” comes Tower’s voice drifting through the air like the wind in summer. 

Explaining something dumb to the Tower was one thing. It was an entirely different thing to explain things to both him and his Companion, Mayan, who, as the tallest man Rune knew, was just as intimidating and probably more scary. He was more likely to laugh at Rune and Brand than the Tower was, too. _Joy_. 

“We told you to take a day off,” Mayan comments dully, a tired expression on his face. Clearly, Rune was interrupting something between the two of them. 

“We were taking one,” Rune starts, “but uh. Well you see- Where do I start?” 

Lord Tower arches an eyebrow and crosses his arms, “Is this about the letters you have been receiving in the mail?”

“Yes- how-” Rune stops himself. Of course the Tower knew. He always knew. “I want them to stop.”

Tower says something quietly and in a language Rune doesn’t understand, and then Mayan’s standing up and pulling out his phone, moving to another room. Rune sometimes wonders what it would be like if he could do that with Brand- then he reminds himself that he and Brand were on a whole different wavelength. Possibly one stronger than Lord Tower and Mayan’s. 

“Why not date Brandon?” Tower asks after Rune’s done explaining the situation to him. 

Rune makes a point to ignore that. “We were wondering if you knew anyone who would be able to help us- er, me? Trustworthy enough to deal with this until the letters stop? Brand will want to judge too but he’s not up here because well,” and he just gestures to Tower as a whole. “And yeah.”

Amusement flickers through the Tower’s eyes. “You want me to find someone to help you and your Companion ward off of suitors who send you love letters? You realize that you’re going about this in a very round-about way, yes?” 

“Can you help or not?” Rune snaps, then he quickly adds, “Yes I know it’s dumb. It’s what we came up with though, okay?” 

“Of course I can help,” Tower snorts. “Have you met my godson, Addam Saint Nicholas?” 

Addam Saint Nicholas. A familiar face came to mind but Rune can’t recall a time where he actually met the guy. “Never met him,” he says. 

“He’s a fine gentleman, a highly sought after paramour. A confirmed bachelor such as yourself,” Tower nods along with his words as though proud of his godson. “If Brandon is not a suitable choice for you because no one would believe it, then I recommend Addam. He is kind, too, and very respectful.” He emphasizes the word ‘respectful,’ with a meaningful look in Rune’s direction. 

Well, that does assuage some of his worries. Though the Tower often had weird ways of doing things, he had yet to fail Rune. 

“Seeing as you’re the ‘most beautiful man of your generation,’ I think Addam will be a fine match for you and Brand. Now can you please excuse me? I’m going to see what is taking Mayan so long.” He hands Rune a card as he speaks. 

As Tower made his exit, Rune stood from the couch. Then he realizes what the Tower just told him. “Wait, what do you mean me and Brand-” but the Tower was gone. Rune huffs; then he makes his way out of the penthouse. 

“Are we going to talk about how easy it was for him to recommend his godson? Sounds like he was waiting to set you two up,” Brand sneers as they sit in the parking lot, car off to avoid wasting gas. “Maybe he’s the one who was having people send you love letters.”

“Yes because the Tower cares so much about my love life,” Rune finds the thought hilarious but he’s not laughing. He does remember all those times when the Tower would suggest Rune marry someone to gain reputation and stability for the Sun Court. Maybe Brand’s right- No. “Okay,” he says, feeling Brand’s eyes bore into him, “maybe he does care but he only suggested Addam after I came to him about this. It’s not like he’s pushing Addam on me- though he did say it would work for me and you? Which makes no sense.”

Brand rolls his eyes, “That is dumb. Call him, let’s set up a meeting.” 

“What if he’s busy,” Rune ponders. 

“What if you stop acting like a coward and get on with it already,” Brand sees right through his hesitance. Like always. 

Rune groans, then reaches for the card Lord Tower gave him and stares at the number. When he dials it, his heart is pounding in his chest. What if, despite Tower’s promises, Addam is a creep? What if he’s controlling and wants to distance Rune from Brand? He shudders, putting the phone on speaker and placing it in his lap so he can hug himself. 

A hand lands on his shoulder and he briefly looks at Brand, then smiles. Their Companion bond thrums with soft reassurances and a soft promise that if anything happens, Brand will hang up the phone and they’ll never deal with this again. “Thanks,” Rune whispers. He wants to lean over and hug Brand instead of himself but someone’s answering the phone call. 

“Hello?” The voice on the other line is gentle, almost relaxing. _Kind_. “This is Addam Saint Nicholas.”

Rune freezes, unsure of what to say. Addam sounds kind and Rune likes the sound of his voice. It’s calming- no. No. No no no. His anxiety returns in a rush of words, spilling everything on the table without catching his own breath. “My name’s Rune, and you probably already knew that from caller ID, and the Tower- er, your godfather, suggested I call you and tell you about this problem my Companion Brand and I are having about someone sending me love letters and I want them to stop so he said I could ask you to fake date me or offer your services or whatever and yeah this is a lot to take in, I’m sorry.” 

The silence on the other end is almost deafening. Then there comes a soft chuckle and that gentle, sweet voice assures him, “It’s alright, I can follow along easily. My other godfather called me ahead of time to tell me of your situation. I’m free to talk things out in an hour if you are?”

Rune shares a glance with Brand, nerves alight and confusion showing on his face. Other godfather? There was no way that Addam was talking about Mayan, right? He opens his mouth only to close it once more, looking back at the phone and then back to Brand. 

Brand clears his throat, “We wanted to ask about a trial run. Can we meet at Poseidon Park to talk?”

The soft hum they get in response is lovely. Rune decides he could listen to that hum for hours on end if he was ever allowed. “Sounds like a plan. See you then.”

“So that happened,” Brand says slowly, starting the car as Rune puts his phone up. “Did he say other godfather?” 

“He did,” Rune replies. “Do you think the Tower and Mayan are…?” 

Brand shudders, “I try not to think about either of them. Let’s go get ready for our park date with wonder boy.”

The park is so green it almost looks fake. There’s a winding sidewalk that meets in the middle to form a sitting area for park benches and picnic tables. The trees give enough shade to shadow a bus and the flowers bloom almost magically no matter the time of year. People scatter about in conversation or walking their pets or watching children on the playground nearby. 

They find Addam easily enough: he’s the one with admirers around him, asking questions and begging for his attention. He responds politely, fitting in among them all with ease. Then Addam spots him and Brand and _oh_.

Even from afar he can see those beautiful burgundy eyes and having their attention on him is overwhelming. It’s like stepping into the spotlight for the first time and when Addam literally stands from the picnic table he’s saving for them and _waves them over_ , Rune feels his words stop in his throat. 

“Don’t drool over him yet, jeez,” Brand nudges into Rune’s side but there’s an edge to his voice that tells Rune that Brand was thinking something along the same lines too. 

“We might be screwed, I didn’t think he’d be hot,” Rune hisses under his breath. 

“You think every guy with pretty eyes is hot,” Brand shoots back with equal venom, but their bond is proof that their feelings align. 

Rune ignores that in favor of admiring Addam. He’s obnoxiously tall, fit, and his hair hangs back in a small ponytail. He’s wearing a men’s crop-top that shows not only his six-pack but also the Celtic sleeve tattoo running down his arm and on his side. The tattoo goes lower past the sweat pants he’s wearing and Rune decides there is not a chance in hell him and Brand are making it out of there alive. 

When they arrive, Brand’s the first to shake Addam’s hand and Rune doesn’t miss the way Addam’s gaze trails over Brand. Rune is not sure whether that’s a good sign or not, but Rune ignores it when Addam does the same to him. _He’s cute but can we trust him?_

“Wonderful to meet you, I’ve heard great things about you both,” Addam’s eyes brim with sincerity. 

“Both of us? From who,” Brand asks as he narrows his eyes. 

Addam blinks, “Oh my godfathers. Lord Tower and his Companion, Mayan.” 

There’s a collective “what,” at a high volume that has onlookers looking at Brand and Rune as if they’re barbaric. 

After it comes Addam trying his best to console them, “I’m sorry. I did not know that you didn’t know. Should I have kept that to myself?” 

“No,” Rune and Brand say simultaneously. 

Rune looks at Brand, “This makes sense, actually, I think.”

Brand looks at Rune, nodding, “It does. I hate it.” 

Addam watches the two of them, a hand hiding his smile as he witnesses the conversation. 

They bicker for a few more minutes, barely registering when Addam chips in or says something beneficial. Then, when they do finally notice him, it’s when he’s somehow found snow cones for the three of them and offers them over. Brand takes the green apple one and Rune takes the one with three different colors. 

“Now that we’re back together,” Addam addresses over his blueberry snow cone. “Let’s get to business, no?”

They decide to tackle the love letters first. 

“How does love letters in the mail escalate to you fake dating New Atlantis’ hottest bachelor,” Addam inquires, an almost endearing smile on his lips as he sets a letter- the only one Brand saved from the fire and brought with them- on the picnic table. After having read the letter aloud, he takes a bite of his snow cone and sets that down, then he’s leaning over in his seat with his chin propped on his hands. “I’m sure there are better ways to solve this problem.”

Rune admits, “We haven’t tried anything else, actually. This was the first thought we had this… This morning.”

“You had the thought,” Brand coincidentally leaves out that he didn’t discourage Rune from the idea. 

“I told Atlantean Gossip Magazine that I was single,” Rune says. “It was against my will, I wasn’t actually listening to what they wanted to know,” Rune defends himself at Brand’s glare and Addam’s expression. 

“That’ll do it,” Addam says, smothering a laugh as he takes another bite of his snow cone. “So once again, to put an end to all of this, you want to fake date someone? What’s wrong with dating your Companion?” 

“Why does everyone keep saying that,” Rune counters with exasperation. First the Tower and now Addam? Did everyone just assume he and Brand were dating or something? His heart pangs at the thought but he quickly drowns that out, swallowing what he really wants to say and reaching out towards Brand with the Companion bond. 

Brand feels neutral. It feels like he’s masking his emotions. Rune doesn’t pry. That’s something neither of them need to do from the other; it would only make things worse and more awkward. 

Addam snorts, shaking his head. “Forgive me. How long would this scheme of yours go on for?” 

“Is it not a one and done kind of thing,” Rune tilts his head, eyes trailing from the letter on the table to Addam. Through the bond he can feel Brand laughing but one look at Brand gives nothing away. 

“I’m afraid not,” Addam gives him a placating smile. “Sometimes a few weeks, sometimes months, one time I had to put on the charade of dating someone for a whole year.”

“You do this professionally,” Brand’s interest piques at that. 

Addam cringes, shying down in his seat. “My mother can be a handful when it comes to reputation and her middle son not having a partner is evening gossip at meetings. But yes, I have experience in this sort of thing.” 

_Well, that means he knows how to do things_ , Rune thinks. “Sorry about your mother being overbearing,” he consoles almost weakly, though he relaxes when Addam waves him off. “Then, can you help us out?” 

“I can. Let’s start with your boundaries. Both of yours,” he specifies when Rune glances awkwardly at Brand. “We can’t sell this unless we know each others’ limits and are comfortable. I’ll start. I do not like people touching my hair unless I allow it, and that’s about it.”

 _Easy limits. Ones no one would laugh at him for._ Rune slinks back in his seat and wraps his arms around himself. “I have a lot,” he finally announces. His stomach curls inward as he lists them off, voice fading with each new item. “Don’t touch me below my shoulders, don’t stand behind me, don’t touch my thighs or my hips. Don’t...” He has to stop himself before he starts to hyperventilate. “Don’t do anything sexual.” When he looks back at Addam he expects ridicule and judgment. 

Instead there’s understanding. “Noted. If I ever overstep a boundary, I will understand if you retaliate violently.” It’s so raw that it hurts Rune to look at Addam. He turns his head to Brand and silently pleas for his Companion to say his own limits. 

“Why am I included in this,” he asks instead. 

Addam stares at him with confusion. “My apologies, I just assumed… Well then,” he clears his throat. “I have a formal function coming up at the end of next month, so we can set your trial for then?” It’s clear he wants to say something more, most likely about Brand, but is holding his tongue. 

Rune agrees, suddenly very desperate to go home where he can curl up in bed and pretend today never happened. “Works for us. Tomorrow we can go on the first ‘official’ date? Set things in stone.”

“It’s a date,” Addam says cheekily and winks, flashing white teeth and Rune’s stuck in awe for a moment. In his awe-struck state, Rune stands and promptly trips on nothing when he goes to pick up the love letter to dispose of it. 

There’s a moment of panic before two sets of hands are grabbing him. Addam grabs one hand and Brand takes the other and Rune’s being righted effortlessly. 

Full of embarrassment, Rune hangs his head as he apologizes. 

“Think nothing of it,” Addam’s voice will always comfort him, he decides. “Anything for my future boyfriend,” and with another wink, he’s making his exit after a quick goodbye to Brand. 

“He’s a charmer,” Brand comments, glancing over Rune as if he’d done more than stumble. “I guess now we have to go home and get ready for your date tomorrow.”

Rune huffs, “I thought you were in on this too?” 

“I’m tagging along, that’s it.”

“Then it’s our date! Not just mine.”

Brand just laughs and tells Rune to get his ass back to the car. 

The rest of the night is spent picking out fashionable clothing that doesn’t look like Rune slept in it. It’s also spent creating a group chat, another thing Rune is bad with: technology, and inviting Addam into it so the three of them can plan out this date. And finally they end it with a fake story about how Rune and Addam met on vacation at the Enclave and fell promptly in love. 

Simple. Clean and easy. Fake. 

No problems will arise at all. 

Which is, of course, a huge lie that knocks all three of them in the face the next morning. 

Hearing one’s name first thing in the morning, especially their full title, is never a good experience. Rune jolts and rolls over, off his bed and onto the floor with a thud, when Brand screams “Rune Saint John,” to the entire household and demands he come downstairs this instant. 

By the time Rune is in decent day clothing and down the stairs, into the living room, Brand is cursing up a storm. “What is going on-” His words die, leaving the air void of emotion as he stares at the TV screen. It shows a picture of Addam, Rune, and Brand, all at Poseidon Park yesterday. Rune’s in the middle, blushing with embarrassment as Brand and Addam help him right himself after his stumble. Flashing words slide across the bottom of the TV:

**SWEPT OFF HIS FEET: LAST SUN HEIR HAS NOT ONE BUT TWO LOVERS? MORE NEWS TONIGHT AT TEN.**

“ _Oh_ ,” Rune says. 

“Yeah, that’s right,” Brand spits out with a fire that should only belong to the Sun Arcana and no one else. “Check what _our_ dear boyfriend has to say about it,” his voice is a monster growing from shadow, nothing but murder in his tone. 

All Addam says in the group chat is: “It would seem we’re all dating now. I’ll need those limits, Brandon.”

Rune has to stop himself from both laughing and panicking at the same time. 


	2. Aftermath: Brand POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing like coffee to get the day started!

An hour of Brand cursing up a storm proceeds the news reveal. He's _not mad_ that the paparazzi got a picture of him and Addam catching Rune, he's mad that he didn't notice whoever the cameraman had been. He would have shown them his fist. Instead he had been too caught up in the moment, _too comfortable_ to pay attention to their surroundings. 

He could not let that happen again. 

"Brand," Rune calls from the kitchen, dragging Brand's attention from glaring at his phone. "Addam wants to get coffee with us." 

Brand already knew that; unlike Rune, he did pay attention to the group chat. In fact, since this morning, Brand rarely kept his eyes off of it. It's because he wants to be ahead of the planning process, or at least that's what he tells himself. 

“I’m already ready, unlike you,” he calls back. He hears Rune mumble something, then there’s a loud clatter in the kitchen, and then more grumbling fills the air. “Don’t die before our big date,” he hisses, already half way through the kitchen door when he finds Rune struggling to tie his shoe, one of their wooden spatulas on the floor. “Do I want to know?”

“No,” Rune growls, shame flooding their bond. 

Brand rolls his eyes. “It would help if you sit down. I’ll be in the car.” He doesn’t bother wasting his time waiting for Rune, already hearing his Scion muttering curses as he closes the door behind him. 

By the time Rune finally gets in the car, Brand’s playing punk rock music and nodding his head to the beat. He carefully examines Rune, then nods his approval. Last night Brand had laid out a set of outfits for Rune to pick from to wear; today Rune wore fitted jeans, his black shirt, and- much to Brand’s annoyance- Brand’s leather jacket. “Trying to impress Prince Charming, are you,” he teases. 

“No, I obviously want to impress you,” Rune shoots back. 

Brand won’t tell him that it’s working. 

“I don’t see him,” laments Rune as he and Brand enter Charon Cafe and find a booth to squeeze into in the far corner, backs against the wall so they can keep watch on the door. Brand won’t let his guard down like he did yesterday. 

He doesn’t respond to Rune and instead goes to the counter and orders. No matter how many times they get coffee, their orders remain the same. Brand gets black coffee for himself and then gets Rune an iced mocha with an extra shot of espresso, just because he wants to and not because Rune deserves it. 

He stops, glances back at the booth and sees Addam’s not there yet. Oh well, he can deal with whatever I get him, Brand tells himself before he orders a latte. Addam seems like a latte kind of guy. 

Just as Brand turns around to go back to Rune, Addam walks through the door. 

_Good._

Brand holds out Addam’s latte and says, “Here, I could have dropped it waiting.” 

Addam blinks, then grins. “You know me so well, getting my order for me before I even show up.” 

It’s a show. Anyone looking their way could easily take this as two boyfriends greeting each other for coffee. Two boyfriends with one of them holding a third beverage. Brand rolls his eyes and points out where Rune is sitting waiting for them. “Lets go.”

Rune slumps in his seat when Brand and Addam draw near and it’s enough to make Brand look around, searching for any signs of threat. The booth in front of them has two girls chattering away in it, and they’re both making googly eyes at each other. The barista looks bored and clearly wants to go home. The TV plays some foreign movie about a girl and her visit to the spirit world at a low volume. Things seem normal. Brand checks again, always on the alert. 

“It’s nothing,” Rune assures him with defeat in his tone. “Hey Addam, nice to see you,” he tries to change the subject. 

It’s Addam who pries, “If it were nothing then your Companion wouldn’t be trying to set the room on fire with his eyes. What’s wrong?” 

Brand doesn’t know how to react to that: does he want to kiss Addam for that or to tell him to shut up. He does neither. Before he can speak, however, Rune continues. 

“Some people going to the bathroom were talking about the prophecy,” Rune explains. “It threw me for a loop even though I’ve heard it a million times before.” Then he shoots a look at Addam, “I don’t like people calling me the prettiest man of my generation… Or even alluding to it.” 

“Well, then I’ll go talk to them and tell them it’s impolite to talk about others behind their backs-” Addam starts and stops in the same moment when Brand shoves him down into the booth and sits across from him, keeping Rune in the corner so that no one can get near him. 

“This is a date, let’s not make it boring,” Brand says. It’s an end to the topic. 

Both Addam and Rune nod and there’s a pause, awkwardness filling the space of conversation, before Brand rolls his eyes. Must he do everything? “So coffee now, what’s next, lover boy?” He does not miss the way Addam’s eyes raise at the nickname, nor does he miss the feeling of his and Rune’s Companion bond sparking with something akin to satisfaction. 

He would like to say the date was smooth sailing from there, but that would be a lie. It starts with a conversation about music, learning each other’s tastes and finding out that Addam dances all the damn time: which turns into Addam finding out Rune can’t dance. 

“You’ll have to dance at the formal ball,” he ‘tsks.’ “Tomorrow we shall begin dance lessons.” 

“You can’t just decide it on the spot,” Brand retorts with an ease that should not have come to him this early in the day. “What’s this ball for anyway?” 

Addam brightens up, “I can, I did, and the ball is being hosted for my little brother! My mother knows I’ll be bringing my boyfriends,” he pauses long enough to glance around, a spot of confusion in his eyes before he looks back at Brand. “And she’ll expect them to dance almost as well as me. Do you know these people?” 

Mentally he’s slamming his head on the table before he finally pays attention to the reporters who have found them. He feels Rune tense up beside him and subconsciously slides a hand to hold Rune’s under the table. He sighs and shakes his head. 

Then he gives them the best glare he can muster. “Can we help you?” 

In retrospect, you should never ask reporters if you can help them because they’ll become a cacophony of questions. It’s too loud to pick out a single question so Brand raises his voice- only to stop when Addam cuts in.

“One question at a time, please. We were in the middle of sharing breakfast.” His voice is calm and carries across the room, pulling every other conversation to a stop. “Brandon, would you be so kind as to pick one of them to go first.”

Brand glares at Addam for that. He makes a mental note to tell Addam not to call him Brandon. He turns his glare to one of the reporters and nods at them, “The one with long red hair and glasses, what do you want?” 

“How did you- well it’s obvious how _you two_ met-” She gestures to Brand and Rune, then looks at Addam, “but Lord Saint Nicholas, how did you meet your boyfriends?”

Brand and Rune share a glance, then look at Addam. 

“They started taking dance lessons at the studio where I offer my services and I got to teach them both personally.” He only briefly glances at the two of them before he nods at another reporter, “Mr. James, nice to see you out and reporting again. Your question?”

 _He’s on first name terms with some of them_ , Brand thinks incredulously.

Mr. James turns to Rune, “Rune and Brand, you're notorious for staying out of the limelight. How has it been adjusting to publicly dating someone who frequently appears in the press as an organizer or donator?” He waves a hand around the table as he speaks. 

A shot of panic flutters through the Companion bond. Brand opens his mouth before Rune can blurt out something stupid. “We’ve adjusted little and have no intention of coming out more often just because we’re dating Addam. In fact, he might get jealous of us taking away his spotlight,” he smirks when Addam sputters into his own latte. 

“And your thoughts, Rune?” Mr. James brushes Brand off and Brand arches an eyebrow.

Rune laughs nervously, “If at all possible, we’d like to leave the spotlight to Addam. We hadn’t even planned on coming out publicly,” he makes a show of frowning. 

“I agree,” Addam jumps in. “Whoever it was that took our photo without our consent could face serious charges, but luckily for them, my boyfriends are very forgiving.” 

“About that,” a reporter with short white hair and gleaming blue eyes starts. “Addam, does your mother have any concerns about consorting with the Scion of a fallen court?” 

Brand can see Addam’s eye twitch as he gives a placating smile. 

“As it is my love life, I think she will learn to be happy for me. She will formally meet my boyfriends next month when we hold my little brother’s 21st birthday party.” 

The same reporter doesn’t even take a second to breathe before she asks, “Do you feel like you have to compete with Rune's life-long Companion, Brandon?”

Brand cuts in before Addam can, “It’s Brand. Don’t answer that, Addam.”

The reporter shrugs before another one, a man with short brown hair and a pointed chin, talks to Rune. “What’s your favorite part of your boyfriends, Lord Sun?” 

Rune takes a second, contemplating it before he says, “I love Addam’s heart.”

That drags a snort from both Addam and Brand. 

The reporter is _taking notes_ , not catching onto the sarcasm at all. “And your Companion?”

The casualness in Rune’s voice when he says, “His trigger finger,” is enough to send Addam and Brand snickering. Too bad the reporter doesn’t get it, because he nods and then throws a curve-ball of a question at them, “Are you at all jealous of Addam's active romantic life prior to you?”

Rune actually gasps as if he’s scandalized. “What kind of question is that-”

“Do you think Lord Sun would have approved of your current partners?”

“How would he have felt about you falling in love with both your Celestials Companion and a Moral Certainties Scion?”

A shadow falls over everyone as the reporters who brought up the late Lord Sun give an intake of breath, clearly having not thought about their questions before they left their lips. 

“Oh Lord Rune, I’m sorry,” one of them makes to apologize but Brand’s standing up, gripping the table to stop himself from attacking the reporter. A fight wouldn’t be good for the public image, and no one wants to file the paperwork, but his blood is boiling _. How dare they-_

“If you worked for me, I would have fired you for harassment,” Addam’s anger controls the air in the room, daring anyone to speak. “Not only have you ignored one of my boyfriends, but you purposefully asked harmful questions of my other boyfriend. I think we are done here.” And when someone tries to protest, Addam shoots them a shimmering glare of burgundy eyes. “We will be answering no more questions.”

Brand couldn’t agree with him more. He shoots a harsh sneer at those in his way when he drags Rune out from the booth and out the door of the cafe, not bothering to say anything to anyone. If they had played nice then maybe he, Rune, and Addam would have given them a nice show but now he was pissed. 

“We were in the middle of a date,” Brand growls as he slams the door to his car, melting into the driver's seat with frustration. He doesn’t bother asking Addam why he got in the same car as he and Rune. _Addam probably rode in a limo here or something_. “Where to,” he pretends to care about the answer. Really he just wants to get out of there, as far away from Charon Cafe as possible. 

“He looks like he could use some stress relief,” Addam remarks and Brand does everything in his power not to turn around and yell at him. 

He’s not mad at Addam. He’s not mad at Rune, who seems to think everything is his fault and the guilt in the bond is enough to make Brand calm himself briefly. “I could use a punching bag if you’re offering to spar, lover boy,” he says hotly, then he closes his eyes and focuses on his breathing. “Not really. I’d fight you but not enough to kill you. Not yet anyway.” 

“Your anger is understandable,” Addam says, then he also says, “and it is not your fault, Rune. Those reporters were terrible at their job and the three of us could use a way to cool off.” 

That’s right, Addam is pissed too. Brand groans and throws his head backward against his seat. Today was supposed to go well! It did not! He wants to punch something. Or shoot something. Or both. 

“What do you suggest,” Rune asks. The tug of urgency in the bond tells Brand that the reporters are leaving the cafe and probably looking for them.

“Have you ever been to Lamia Lanes?”

“The laser tag place?” Rune asks Addam as Brand’s already starting the engine to the car. “Brand and I have been a few times for a ‘team building exercise.’” Brand doesn’t see it because he’s driving, but he can hear Rune putting air quotes over the last words. 

“Let’s go there then, nothing says romance more than fake-shooting other people together.” Addam has a point, Brand will give him that. 

Lamia Lanes has a tacky paint job that mocks graffiti art and looks like it should belong in a terrible harlem-esque musical background setting. It’s not pleasing on the eyes at all. Nonetheless, Addam leads Brand and Rune through the front doors and Brand takes great joy in watching Addam gawk. It’s uglier on the inside. The glowing carpet reminds him of a bowling alley and flickering dim lights change colors as some song on the overhead speakers plays. 

“Since Brand paid for coffee, I’ll pay for our entry,” Addam excuses himself. 

“Today could be going worse,” Rune tries to comfort Brand as he watches Addam talk up a storm to the lady at the entry booth. “I’m not too mad, Brand,” he adds. 

“I know you’re not,” Brand says with a huff. Then he slouches his shoulders, “This just better be worth it.” 

Rune bumps into his side. “It always is with us. We’ll be fine in the end. Addam’s also trying hard to impress us, I think. Why else would he have stood up for us back there?” 

Brand snorts. _Because he has a crush on you_ , he thinks. _Addam doesn’t have to try hard at all._ “Who knows. Come on, he’s done.”

The debriefing room is a formality, explaining everything to newcomers and talking about the rules and ways to play the game of laser tag. Brand mostly ignores it, having learned all of this when he was younger, and only pays attention when the ‘commanding officer’ says there is no friendly fire. “Also there is no running or screaming.”

Boring, he swears that used to be a thing when he last played. 

“The scoring system is as follows,” the lady says loudly. Then she explains that shooting an opponent is 2 points; hitting the base bell is 10 points; and if you’re shot by an opponent it’s a -1. “When you get tagged by another player in laser tag, your phaser will go down for six seconds. During this time, you cannot tag anyone.

Then the three of them are sent to grab armor and guns. He doesn’t actually start to care about the game until he straps a vest to his chest and then picks a blaster. He watches Rune and Addam do the same, watching as the two of them talk quietly in the corner. 

Addam makes Rune laugh. 

Brand smiles. If there is anyone who could make Rune feel better after a morning like that, it’s Addam. _Wait_. “I’ve only known him for a day, shut up,” he tells himself in a whisper, hoping the stranger next to him doesn’t think he’s crazy. 

When the armor lights flicker on, Brand and Addam share the same team. Red. Rune is blue. Brand grins and turns a look on his Scion, feeling the spark of fear from their shared bond. “Looks like we’ll have another team building exercise after all,” he says. 

Rune visibly shudders and Addam laughs, moving to stand beside Brand. “This is going to be fun, isn’t it?”

A loud countdown begins. Brand nods, “He’s going to run left and hide in a corner, camping in one spot. It is our job to stop him before he does that.”

“No, Brand is going to teach you how to cheat at this,” Rune accuses sharply, but anyone could see the child-like glee blossoming on his face. _It looks like he’s already calming down from earlier._

He allows some of Rune’s feelings to wash over him. _There is really no reason to be angry here of all places,_ he tells himself. Their first time at Lamia Lanes had been spent with Brand scoping the area out and mentally memorizing the floorplans. There would be no need for Brand to worry about Rune’s safety, or Addam’s for that matter. 

There is no harm in having fun on a fake date with your Scion and the Justice Scion, he tells himself with a silent inhale. Then Brand closes his eyes, feeling the anticipation and excitement radiating off of Rune. 

And he exhales. 

When he next opens his eyes, his guard lowers considerably, transforming into a determination to win at laser tag. 

The buzzer sounds and chaos becomes a reality. 

Rune bolts through the doors and Brand has half a second to tell Addam to keep up before he’s chasing after his Scion. 

An array of color blinds Brand momentarily, introducing to him the laser tag arena that would become an all out battlefield. Neon lights shone high above, barely lighting the large black walls used for cover. Various planets and symbols adorn the floor and the walls and the ceiling even, showering the space in a gaudiness that Brand will never miss once he and Addam win this match. 

“So do you want to talk about what happened earlier?” Addam asks, bringing the mood back down with the force of a meteor.

Brand wishes friendly fire was on. He turns on Addam, “No! You brought us here to de-stress, if you so much as think of talking about what happened with the paparazzi, I’ll throw my gun at you.” 

“You’ll forfeit us the match if you do that,” Addam points out. 

He ignores him in favor of taking aim and shooting at a girl with short and wavy hair, a glowing blue vest on her chest. “Shut up and let’s think of a battle strategy.” He doesn’t actually let Addam help in the planning part. Instead, Brand lays out the details of his various plans as if he’s been to Lamia Lanes a thousand times. 

They decide on separation, telling each other where to go and to meet back up in three minutes. A short amount of time, but Brand’s putting his trust in Addam to win this game for the two of them. He counts to six before he leaves Addam alone. 

He maneuvers around a large pillar, dropping down behind a box to peer over it. His eyes land on the blue base. He purses his lips. Too easy. He chances it, grinning widely when someone who wasn’t Rune peeks out from behind a pillar. The glasses that they wore were reflecting the ugly neon lights above, and Brand twists quickly when the person aims for his shoulder. Then he shoots them in the chest without a problem. 

He chases glasses around for a few minutes, vaulting over an obstacle with a sun-symbol, knowing damn well he’s not supposed to do that, and uses a mirror to help him aim a trick shot. He hears glasses groan and cackles, throwing his head back. 

Then he trips. 

And curses when glasses catches up. 

“Are you alright?” 

Brand snorts, shaking his head, “Easy.” He shoots glasses in the chest and rolls to a stand. “Try harder next time,” then he flourishes a bow, feeling as if he can show off without judging eyes. 

The journey back to his and Addam’s meeting place is dangerous only because he doesn’t run into Rune. He hadn’t been camping at the blue base so where was he? He lowers himself into a crawl, bypassing neon barricades as he scouts the area for signs of Rune. 

Nothing. Interesting. Brand stops momentarily, catching movement in the corner of his eye, and he turns sharply, hitting another player in the shoulder. Then, not wanting to be caught up in another confrontation, he blends into the shadows in an effort to get away. He stops in his tracks when he reaches the meet-up spot. 

Seeing Rune pointing a fake gun at Addam is a sight to behold, Brand observes, watching their standoff. He lifts his gun, shooting someone who tries to interfere, and then he shouts, “Get his ass, Addam!” Then he hides his face in the butt of his gun. 

He really just did that. How stupid did he have to be!

A blast goes off and Brand forces himself to look. He watches as Rune ducks down, narrowly avoiding a shot in his direction before he shoots at Addam. Addam moves fluidly, showcasing the dancing skills they all knew he had, and laughter rings through the air before he calls, “Watch this,” and shoots in quick succession. It’s not an illegal move, but Rune shoots Addam a dirty glare as he staggers back dramatically, clutching his chest like he’d been shot for real. 

Embarrassment be damned, Brand finds himself cheering louder. He crosses over, keeping a watchful eye on Rune before he reaches Addam and holds a hand up for a high five. “Good job for a rookie,” he says with glittering eyes. 

Addam’s looking at him and his eyes are deep, barely noticeable in the dark of the arena. They’re enticing, entrapping, Brand could lose himself in them. Instead, when Addam opens his mouth to say something, possibly a thank you, Brand grabs him by his vest and drags him down into a hard kiss. 

Sweat soaks the both of them but Brand can’t bring himself to care because he feels Addam’s lips against his. Soft and wet and entirely too demanding for a public-kiss. He pushes Addam against a wall, pushing up into his space and licking at his bottom lip on the spur of adrenaline. 

The room’s temperature is burning their skin, reminding Brand of morning runs and summer workouts. It’s not enough to take him away from Addam, if anything it has him furthering the kiss, mingling their tongues in an intense show.

He should stop. Pull away and return to the game. Addam’s hands on his sides are more than enough to convince him to stay put, however, and the only reason Brand drags himself from the kiss that defines his very existence at the moment, is the feeling of his and Rune’s bond overflowing with joy and victory, and then the flashing lights on his and Addam’s vests blink out, 

Rune’s face is red under the neon lights, his hair slick with sweat and eyes burning brightly. “I can’t believe you let me win,” there’s no fire in his voice though. 

Something filters through the bond that Brand can’t quite place. He almost thinks Rune’s recalling the kiss. Yeah right. Brand rolls his eyes. “You’ll eat those words,” and he raises his gun- 

Only the buzzer sounds once more and signals the end of the match. 

“Yeah well let’s see if the blue team actually won,” Brand taunts, smoothing his hands over his clothing. He side-eyes Addam, wondering if he’s alright, and then flushes. He shouldn’t be thinking about that kiss, it had been something impulsive and unlike him. 

The three of them make their way out of the arena. When Brand shirks off his gun and vest, his eyes find the scoreboard and he scowls. The blue team had in fact won. “Bullshit, you’re all cheaters, no one was even guarding your base,” Brand says over Rune’s laughter. He leaves out the fact that he himself forgot to shoot the base bell. 

“At least I wasn’t busy lip locking my boyfriend,” Rune wheezes, holding his sides. 

Brand opens his mouth. Then he closes his mouth. “Yeah well you’re just jealous you didn’t get to kiss him,” he says in an effort to make Rune laugh more. He’s also aware of the people around them looking at them with annoyed looks. Another rule of the game was that there was no physical contact. Oops. 

“I am irresistible,” Addam says, returning from getting a drink of water. He winks at Brand. “Don’t worry Rune, I am sure next time you’ll get the chance to kiss me.” That was enough to make Rune blush and tell him to stop. 

Brand ignores the ignition of hope in their Companion bond. Then he thinks about the kiss. It was a good kiss. His lips still tingle, remembering the little noise Addam had given him right before he pulled away. He shakes his head. “You two are impossible,” he says. 

“You like it,” Rune sounds tired as he talks. “Can we go home?”

“I-” Brand catches himself before he says he wants to stay out longer, settle more into the fake date. “Food first, then home,” he says instead. Then he looks at Addam, “I guess you’re invited.” 

“Oh Brandon, I thought you’d never invite me home,” Addam fakes a swoon. 

_It’s so easy to get comfortable around you,_ Brand thinks bitterly. “Don’t call me Brandon. No one calls me that but the Tower and people who have a death wish.” 

They eat dinner at Prometheus’ Stonefire Pizzeria. Afterward they get ice cream, though none of them pay attention to the name of the parlor. 

Rune’s half asleep in the car by the time Brand pulls up to their driveway. “Wake up,” is all he says before he shuts his car door a little too fiercely.

Addam’s nicer about it and even helps Rune out of the car. By the time the two of them are inside, Brand’s already put popcorn in the microwave. The TV is on, playing the news. Another headline about Rune, Addam, and Brand flies across the screen, mentioning that Addam yelled at a reporter over an easily answered question. 

“That’s going to give me a headache,” Rune groans, grabbing the remote and switching the channel. 

It’s another news channel, only this time it’s footage that the paparazzi caught of Rune, Addam, and Brand leaving Lamia Lanes and getting in the car. The words **SECRET DATE? ADDAM SAINT NICHOLAS GETS INTO CAR WITH SUN HEIR AND COMPANION** accompany the footage. 

“How is it secret if we’re doing it on purpose,” Rune starts before he gives up. “Whatever. I’m too tired for this.” He yawns to prove his point, stretching. It’s not late enough for actual sleep, so Rune sprawls out on the couch. 

“You could make room for us,” Brand shoves Rune to a sitting position and then claims the middle seat for himself. He waits until Addam sits to his left before he picks up the remote and switches through channels. “What kind of movie do we want to watch?”

“I don’t care,” Rune yawns once more. “I’m going to fall asleep either way.” 

They both look at Addam, who holds up his hands. 

Brand picks out some movie with a title that makes no sense, plops it in the DVD player, and then he checks on the popcorn. He butters it and adds a little seasoning, not caring whether Rune or Addam will want it like that, and then finds his way back to the living room. “Thank you,” he tells Addam after he notices Rune dozing off. 

“Think nothing of it, I couldn’t-”

“Shut up and listen to me,” Brand shakes his head. “I’m not talking about the kiss, I’m not going to thank you for that when it was me who kissed you. I’m talking about this morning over coffee. Those reporters were assholes and you handled that better than both Rune and I would have. Now I’m going to carry Rune over here to bed and then we’ll keep talking over movies and then I will tell you where you’re sleeping tonight, okay?” 

“Yes sir,” Addam replies with wide eyes, though he looks more intrigued than surprised.

Taking Rune upstairs to his bed is easier than it looks. Brand worries that he should feed Rune more and work on muscle training, but decides against it. They’ll worry about training another time. Right now he was going to let Rune sleep and-

“ _Oh you lazy fucker_ , you just wanted to be carried to bed,” Brand accuses as he gets into Rune’s room, depositing him on the bed with a thud. 

Rune smiles up at him innocently, “Maybe. I didn’t want to talk in front of Addam though.”

“Talk about what?” Brand asks even though he knows what Rune’s about to bring up. 

Rune stretches out in the bed, letting out a groan of comfort. “You enjoyed that kiss a lot, Brand.”

“It was on impulse,” he defends. For an impulsive kiss, it was one of the best kisses he’d ever had. He crosses his arms and surveys the room. “He’s not a bad kisser. You’ll do good with him when you have to kiss in public.” He knows Rune is tired because no sense of fear runs through their bond at the mention of an actual public kiss. 

“You’ve been in a much better mood ever since we left Lamia Lanes,” Rune points out with a yawn, grabbing for his pillow and burying his face into it. “I think we made a good choice, Brand.”

Brand doesn’t answer him as he leaves the room. 

He settles on the couch next to Addam, popcorn in his lap as the movie plays on. “Sleeping Beauty was just lazy and wanted me to carry him upstairs,” he complains. 

Addam laughs, grabbing some popcorn from the bowel. “Does he do that often?”

“He does! So annoying. One day you’ll have to do it and feel my pain.” 

There’s a second of quiet before Addam nods, “I’ll be sure to complain to you.” 

That brings a noise of disbelief out of Brand. “You said we’re dancing tomorrow? I hope he falls over and you have to catch him- then you should drop him.” 

“I think I would make for a poor instructor if I did that,” Addam chuckles, but he doesn’t necessarily say no to the idea. 

The movie plays out scene by scene, Brand mostly ignoring the dialog in favor of mulling over his own thoughts. He agrees with Rune: they did make a good choice in Addam. He just doesn’t get why he feels so comfortable around the man. _Comfortable enough to kiss him out of adrenaline when you haven’t ever done that to Rune_ , he reminds himself. What a dumb thought. “Today was okay,” he makes himself say just so he doesn’t have to be alone in his thoughts. 

“It was,” Addam agrees. “Though, you still haven’t told me your boundaries, Brand.” There’s a pause that makes Brand think Addam’s going to keep talking, maybe talk about the kiss, but he stays silent. 

Brand shrugs, watching as the protagonist on screen screams at her love interest in the rain. “Don’t hurt Rune.” He’s putting a lot of trust in Addam with that information: if Addam hurt Rune then he would hurt Brand too. He finds that he can’t bring himself to worry anymore. Then as he lets Addam swallow that thought, he adds, “You can’t handle dating me, but you’re free to try.”


	3. Dancing Lessons: Addam POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gotta know how to dance if you're gonna go to a fancy party

“I can’t believe you took a picture,” Brand’s whispering in an angry tone at someone. 

Probably Rune, Addam’s mind supplies as he tries to go back to sleep, enjoying the warmth of the blanket laid on him. He doesn’t remember when he got a blanket last night, but he’s not complaining. His pillow is comfortable too. He doesn’t remember a pillow either; actually all he remembers is talking to Brand while some romantic movie played and then falling asleep together.

“I can’t believe you cuddled with him, are you trying to make me jealous,” comes a reply that is most certainly Rune’s voice. 

Addam remembers now. He and Brand had only been talking about plans for today, nothing too serious or interesting, and how to fix the love-letter situation when Addam fell asleep against his shoulder. Did Rune seriously call that cuddling? How adorable. 

“Jealous? Please, if a kiss during laser tag didn’t make you jealous then I don’t know what will.”

“No, that kiss was the best distraction and all I needed to win the match for my team, so ha!”

“Keep telling yourself that, I’m going to-”

“You two banter so well,” Addam says fondly, stretching out on the couch and pulling himself to a sitting position. His back hurts and he wants to pop his neck, but that’s what happens when you sleep on a couch that’s a bit too small for you. He chuckles when both Brand and Rune shout “We do not!” at him. 

“What is this about a picture,” he addresses what he first heard them talking about. 

“If you show him that picture,” Brand warns. “I _will_ end you, Rune Saint John.” 

Rune crosses his arms, looking thoughtful, before he and Addam make eye contact. Addam takes this moment to finally admire his eyes. A beautiful shade of grey-blue, deep with stress but still enchanting enough to those who look closely. If Addam were to commission anyone to draw Rune, he would be sure to tell them to pay extra attention to getting Rune’s eyes right. Such a lovely color. He wonders if he’ll ever get the chance to admire both Rune and Brand’s eyes together. 

There’s a thought for later: take a picture of the two of them looking at him. 

“I sent it to the group chat,” Rune says and Addam’s back to reality, watching as Rune dodges something being thrown at him from Brand’s direction. Addam thinks it was a pen but he’s not going to get up and check. 

Brand grumbles something but doesn’t attempt to end Rune like he said he would. Instead, Addam watches Brand flip Rune off and go into the kitchen, saying something about making toast and none of them can have any. 

“See what I have to deal with.” Rune shakes his head and sits next to Addam.

Addam doesn’t comment, deciding that calling the two of them adorable and amusing might earn him more glares of denial. He takes out his phone, pulling up Atlantalk, the group chat application the three of them use for messaging, and opens the file Rune sent. 

Even through the terrible quality, Addam can clearly see the intimacy of the picture. He and Brand are half-way in each others’ arms with Addam’s head on Brand’s shoulder, Brand’s chin resting on his head. Their eyes are shut, brows furrowed as if sharing the same dream, and Addam notices his hand is resting on Brand’s chest and Brand’s own hand is resting on Addam’s thigh.

Addam cooes, a warm endearment filling his entire being at the sight. He imagines what Brand’s reaction must have been: a comfortable awakening that leads to confusion and panic. That seems likely, but Addam decides that the idea of Brand pulling away to replace his body heat with a pillow and blanket so as not to wake Addam is more alluring. For that image alone, Addam doesn’t ask Rune how Brand reacted, nor does he ask who it was that got him the pillow and blanket. 

“You’re lucky he didn’t drool on you,” Rune says lightly. “This one time we were taking a nap and I woke up with his drool covering my hand, it was so gross.”

“You’re gross,” Brand returns from the kitchen with a plate of toast and sits on Addam’s other side, purposefully ignoring the look of want from Rune. “If you wanted toast, you would have deleted the picture,” he says. 

“No, he is lucky I didn’t drool on him,” Addam assures gently. “It would not have been a pretty sight.” 

“He would feel blessed, I’m sure,” Rune teases, then he looks at Brand. His eyes glimmer with mischief, “You’ll give me some toast or else I’ll frame the picture!” 

Without missing a beat, Brand shrugs, “I could use the target practice.” 

_These two_ , Addam hides a smile behind his hand as he shakes his head. Then he looks around the living room thoughtfully. “It would be more believable if you had pictures hanging around, actually.” Reporters most likely weren’t going to be inside the house, but one could never be too sure. 

“That would require more pictures,” Rune wrinkles his nose. 

Addam watches as Brand hands a piece of toast to Rune, watches Rune grumble because there’s no butter on it, and then the thought hits him. “I can take pictures of you two while I teach you guys to dance, and I’m sure we could hire someone to professionally take photos of us.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” Brand says, “however, it’s just a month. Do you really want to waste money on a photographer?” 

“I could find someone,” Addam assures. “And it could get people off your backs.” He grabs a piece of toast off of Brand’s plate, winking when Brand just scowls in response. “You’ll need pictures to put in your wallets too.”

“I want a copy of this picture,” Rune says immediately, tapping his phone. “I can already see the headlines: ‘Rune Saint John keeps his boys in his pocket,’ or something like that.” Brand snorts. Rune grins. 

Just as Addam begins to reply, his phone rings. Piano filters through the air, soft as it begins a crescendo and then trails up a major scale. It’s the ringtone that plays whenever Quinn calls him. Addam smiles at Rune and Brand and softly excuses himself. 

“Tell me what you’re eating,” is the first thing Quinn says when Addam picks up. Not necessarily the best greeting, but Addam doesn’t mind. His brother's calls were always interesting when starting with something completely random. 

“I am eating toast,” he answers, glancing back into the living room where he knew Rune was trying to eavesdrop and Brand was busy telling him to stop. 

“Oh good,” he hears Quinn let out a breath of relief. “You always say no when you’re eating fruit. Can Max come to my birthday party?” 

“You called me just to check up on me, didn’t you,” he asks gently, knowing that Quinn knew that he would say yes to his friend coming to his birthday party. 

A pause, then softly Quinn answers, “Yes. You don’t actually say no when you’re eating fruit. Actually I didn’t see anything for this at all. Is it a yes, though?” 

“Of course your best friend can come. And things are going fine, Quinn,” he assures. “Later I’m taking them to the dance studio if you’d like to come meet them formally-”

“It won’t happen,” Quinn sighs. “Sometimes it starts raining so hard you stay in with them, other times you get called to come help with planning. You don’t like it when you have to plan but you always come home. But you make it up to them by sending them a love letter.” 

_I send them a love letter? That seems counter-intuitive to the plan_. He frowns. “I see.” 

A long pause settles over the phone call, Addam frowning and listening as Quinn moves around wherever he is. He moves over to the kitchen window, looking outside to see if there were clouds in the sky, hoping for the former of Quinn’s predictions to be true rather than the latter. 

Clear skies. Damn. 

They spend a few more minutes talking, Addam telling Quinn about what he did with Rune and Brand yesterday and in turn listening to Quinn talk excitedly about his party. Just hearing how excited his brother is makes Addam happy. He’s going to make Quinn’s birthday the best birthday he’s ever had. There was only one problem- 

His phone beeps, signaling that another caller begs his attention. He pinches the bridge of his nose, wishing Quinn had been wrong. “It would seem I’ll be home soon.” He hangs up on Quinn and answers the other line, “Addam speaking.”

Lady Justice’s accent reflects Addam’s, only it’s more prominent, always present and thick. “You’re needed at home,” she says on the other line, tone sly as if she caught him in the act of something. “If Quinn’s party is to be on time, you’ll need to devote more time to it as I cannot take the time away from my own duties.” 

“I see you saw the news,” Addam remarks. He can tell by her tone that she disapproves of the way he is spending his time. “I intend to teach my boyfriends how to dance for the party,” he explains even as he feels as if he’s talking to a brick wall. “Things will go smoothly, I promise,” he assures her. 

He hears a noise of resignation on the other end and adds, “I’ll be home shortly.” 

The two say their goodbyes and Addam pockets his phone. He wishes it would rain. “Our time here has been cut short, I’m afraid,” he pouts. “We will have to reschedule the dance lessons.” 

Both Rune and Brand have questions clear on their faces, but neither ask anything. “When will we see you again,” Rune sounds almost desperate as he asks the question. It should not sound as cute as it does, but Addam’s heart stills for a fraction of a second. 

He doesn’t actually want to leave. “Well we have to get more pictures on the walls, so maybe tomorrow. You two can’t get rid of me that easily,” he says playfully. 

“Damn, I thought we would finally be free after two days,” Brand deadpans. 

Addam leaves the two of them with a laugh. 

It turns out he did not see Rune and Brand the next day. Or the next. Or even the next. Planning for Quinn’s party seemingly takes more than Addam expects, from planning the cake (Quinn wants a waffle cake) to the guest list. As the Moral Certainties were big on reputation, every little thing had to be planned out and Addam was not able to leave his duties for even a second. 

At first, he thinks his mother did this on purpose. He dismisses the thought, though it lingers in the back of his mind like a parasite. 

He texts their group chat whenever he gets a moment of free time. Little jokes here and there, comments about the plans the three of them have made, and just last night the three of them had a voice call. 

“Should I be the first one to joke about wanting a selfie?” He had asked. He had not expected the two of them to agree to selfies so easily, but within the next hour Addam had a picture of a picture with the caption, “Because you gave us such short notice.” 

It’s of a framed photograph of just the two of them, both younger than they are now, sitting in the grass while the sun shines down on them both. Rune has a bird on his arm and he’s looking at it with curiosity while Brand seems ready to hit the bird. 

It’s amusing. 

Today, he snaps a quick picture of himself sitting boringly in his office, hair held back with a headband and fake glasses on to sell the image. “Save me,” he begs in the message he sends to the group chat. 

Twenty minutes later, Brand replies with a picture of him in center focus, Rune in the background burning a letter. Addam can see the blurs of fiery eyes coming from the Sun Scion. “We’re going to kill the next person who sends us a love letter with the word ‘bootylicious’ in it,” is what accompanies it. 

Addam laughs and saves that picture to his phone. 

He spends the rest of the day taking random selfies and pictures and sending them to the group chat, mentioning how believable it would be to have photos of each other on their phones. Brand calls him out on just wanting pictures of them; Addam doesn’t argue. Could anyone blame him? 

“Quinn, come here,” he says during lunch, wrapping an arm around his little brother’s shoulders. “Can I send Rune and Brand a picture of us?” 

Quinn laughs, “They like it when we use the dog filter.” 

So Addam uses the dog filter. Brown ears float above his head and spotted white ears hover over Quinn’s as the two of them squish their cheeks together and smile for the camera.

“You really like them,” Quinn observes once Addam finally sets his phone down. He wiggles with the knowledge, beaming at Addam. “You do, don’t you? I’m happy for you, Addam.”

“I do, yes,” he confirms. He tries to keep his eyes from straying to his phone when it dings a second later. He has to focus on Quinn right now! He can look at his phone later. His hands itch to check the group chat regardless. “When will Matthias arrive,” he questions just so he doesn’t give in to his urge to check his phone. 

Quinn eyes him knowingly. “He really prefers Max, and he says he’ll be back a couple days before the party,” he nails the puppy-dog look when he continues, “I’m going to ask him to stay over.” He doesn’t need Addam’s approval, but he’s looking for it nonetheless. 

He thinks about how Quinn was when he was younger, and his heart swells. “I’m sure he’ll say yes.” 

They finish lunch and it’s back to planning. Of course they pick the Justice Court to host the event, and then Addam calls up the caterer. It’s not too hard to find a place that will bring all the food Quinn wants, but Addam has always been proud of his ability to make Quinn happy. He could never fail his little brother, especially when his wishes were so easily met. 

Around eight pm, Addam finally has a chance to sit down and check his messages. He will be the first to admit that his heart did skip a beat when he saw the many files waiting for him to open. 

The first picture is one Brand took of Rune standing in front of the Little Debbie Cakes in the snack aisle of some store. The caption reads, "I'm going to kill him.” Then there’s one that Rune clearly took, and one that Addam saves immediately, of Brand wearing his workout clothing. Addam swallows down his thoughts, enjoying the way the clothes cling to Brand in the picture. 

The third message is a series of pictures that tell a story: one picture of Brand whisking away at a bowl of batter, another of Brand pulling brownies out of the oven, one of Rune licking frosting off of his finger- Addam saves that one in a heartbeat too- and then one of the two of them in the aftermath of what Addam was sure was a food war. The two of them have bits of frosting in their hair and on their cheeks. 

And the last post, sent thirty minutes ago, is the reason Addam knows he’s going to fall in love with the two of them. Maybe he’s already in the midst of falling, but he’s going to blame the picture for the realization. 

They’re holding a magazine with Addam’s face on it. Rune poses as if he’s showing the magazine off, Brand looks smug, most likely he’s the reason why Addam’s picture is surrounded by sun-rays and his portrait has a poorly-drawn mustache and goatee on it. The caption reads, “Can’t believe you’re stuck with us.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way,” he replies before he takes a picture of himself in bed, winking at the camera. Then he spends the rest of the night texting the two of them until he falls asleep, dreaming of the two men who were quickly becoming more than a fake-dating gig to him. 

The next morning greets him with a surprise. Both Brand and Rune sent him good morning messages. Addam screen shots it and presses his phone against his forehead, grinning like a maniac. 

_I am in for it._

He thinks back to the kiss he and Brand had inside Lamia Lanes. He wasn’t naive enough to say his feelings began right after that kiss. He knows his feelings didn’t start until last night, not until he got that magazine picture. That kiss was something out of a movie, he thinks. Passionate and fiery, so like Brand that Addam can’t imagine anyone else matching it. 

Except maybe a kiss with Rune. 

The odds of having a kiss with Rune are slim, he’s sure of it. The odds of kissing Brand again, however. Addam hums at the thought, imaging the feel of fire against his lips once more. The memory of Brand’s lips against him makes him shudder and he stops thinking about it. He’s got other things to do besides think about dreamy Sun Court members and ways to kiss at least one of them. 

Though eventually he knows that he will have to kiss one of them in public, possibly both. That’s what he thinks about in the shower instead of planning the rest of the day. Thinks about bright blue eyes and laser tag. Thinks about Rune licking chocolate frosting off of his fingers. Thinks about the impossible: Rune and Brand deciding to drop the ‘fake’ part of their situation. 

Later he tells the two of them that their first dance lesson is on Friday. 

Friday comes quicker than Addam thought it would, but it’s a huge relief when he finally sees Rune and Brand again. Only a week has gone by, but it felt longer and that is the excuse Addam uses when he pulls Brand into a hug. 

“You really went and got sentimental on us, didn’t you,” Brand teases, holding the hug for a second longer before he pushes Addam away. “It’s not like the press is going to broadcast a reunion.”

When Rune hugs Addam, Addam’s heart jumps into his throat. “He missed you too,” Rune’s eyes shine in the sunlight, a smile on his lips. “We have been looking forward to this for forever,” he pokes Addam’s chest. “Come on, show us how to dance,” then he quickly adds, “there’s a cameraman to your six, play along.” 

Addam hides his disappointment with a grin. “You two are only using me for my good looks,” it’s not as hard to sound like he’s pretending to be hurt as it should have been. “I could cry.”

“Yes, cry us a river,” Brand mocks. Then he wraps an arm around Addam’s waist and pulls him closer with a force. “Rune stop hogging Addam, I’m going to dance with him first.” 

Rune whines loudly, “No fair. I want to dance with him first.”

Well, the two of them mock-fighting over him certainly makes him feel better. 

Selene Studio was Addam’s favorite dance studio. The Tower, his godfather, bought it for him one year as a birthday gift. It was a beautiful two-story building themed after the goddess it was named after. Blue and gray hues color every wall, moon imagery spotting the floor. Across one wall spans several mirrors for dancers to watch themselves rehearse in. 

No one else seems to be in the building, leaving the three of them alone to indulge in dance and take their time. 

“Most people new to dancing are embarrassed about their dancing skills and underestimate themselves,” Addam says after he lets Brand survey the area. “If you feel comfortable with your dance partner then things are easier, which is why I am going to have you two learn together rather than learn with me as your partner at first.” He explains. He moves to a corner and plugs his phone in, then he attaches his phone to a bluetooth speaker. “We will not start with music,” he assures the two of them. 

“Is it alright if I touch your shoulders and sides while I am positioning you and Brand,” he asks Rune. “I might also need to adjust your hips and posture. You can say no if you would prefer Brand to do it,” he adds as a second option. He would just need to demonstrate to Brand how he would have to help Rune, but that’s no problem for him. 

“Sure,” Rune consents. He looks grateful that Addam has the decency to ask. 

“Good,” he says. “Now, the three basic elements that will make the world of dancing much easier for you two are: the box step, the triple-step, and the rock-step. These combined with forward and backward walks are what make up every dance you can name off the top of your head. Today we will only focus on the box step. Watch me, please.” 

Addam turns his back to Rune and Brand, directing them to watch him in the mirror. Then he pushes his left foot forward, moves his right foot to the side, and then brings them both together, shifting his weight so he’s on his left foot. Then he pushes his right foot backward, moves his left to the side, and brings them together once more. He repeats the motions several times. “With just a box step, you will know the basic movement for both the waltz and the rumba; the only difference between those two dances is the tempo,” he explains. “Let’s begin.” 

He stands up straight and lifts his left hand. “Brand, your left hand is going to hold Rune’s right hand.” When the two mimic him, he grabs Brand’s right hand and gives Rune a silent look. Rune takes the hint and nods. Addam places Brand’s hand just above Rune’s shoulder blade, “Because Brand is taller, he will be the leader. If Brand and I were dancing, I would lead; if Rune were dancing with someone shorter than him, he would lead. Does that make sense?” 

“I’m going to intentionally step on your toes,” Rune says instead, leering at Brand with a devious smile. 

Brand snarls at him, no heat in the action at all, and nods at Addam. “Shorties have to follow,” he taunts Rune. 

Addam fondly shakes his head. “As you two face each other, it is important you don’t both start on the same foot. Brand, as the leader, you will move your left foot forward while Rune moves his right foot backward.” He watches the two of them silently communicate, eyes flickering downward and then back to each other with a nod. 

“The waltz is a more bouncy dance. You’ll lower yourself with the first step-off, swing into the next motion, and then rise each time your feet come together.” He puts his hands up as if he has his own invisible partner and mimics his words. He then changes his posture slightly, switching to a different dance style. “In the rumba, your hips will define your movement, your legs settling and your knees bending and straightening as you move.” 

He looks at them both with expectation. They stare back at him wordlessly. 

“Go on, try, I won’t tease you.” 

In Addam’s opinion, the first step does not go poorly. Brand steps forward, chasing after Rune as he goes backward. They stumble a little, Rune not going left when he should have, and Addam has to correct them politely. Then they go again. And again. And a fourth time until Addam deems them fit to continue on their own without cutting in. 

“I hope you trip when you dance with Addam,” Rune says as he and Brand practice the box step for maybe the thirtieth time a few minutes later. 

Addam snorts, “You’re the more clumsy one, Rune,” he says. 

“Am not,” Rune mutters. 

“You are,” Brand agrees. “Soon he’s going to trip over himself and we’ll have to carry him to help,” he tells Addam as the two of them fall and rise with the steps. 

“I would not mind carrying him,” Addam purrs. “Switch to the rumba motions,” he quickly directs, not wanting to see the two of them look at him with questions in their eyes at his words. It’s not that he felt shameless, no way, Addam enjoys flirting with the two of them, but it’s because he enjoys flirting with them that he goes back on topic. 

“Do I have permission to record you two?” He asks. “Being able to watch yourselves dance in a mirror is one thing, but sometimes the camera picks up on what we cannot.” When the two of them give him their consent, Addam takes his phone off the charger and heads upstairs to record them from the upper balcony. 

He can hear the two of them bickering downstairs and smiles. He actually did not expect the two of them to take to dancing so easily, but then again both Rune and Brand were full of surprises. He turns on video-mode and makes sure his camera is facing Brand and Rune before he starts watching the two. 

The two of them are a masterpiece fit for a museum, Addam muses to himself. Two sides of the same coin. A package deal that feels weird when it’s just one of them. He could watch Brand’s expression contort with concentration and listen to Rune asking if he’s doing the right step for hours. They were quickly becoming Addam’s favorite form of entertainment. 

Atlantean society encourages multiple partners and having feelings for more than one person was okay. Addam did not feel guilt for his growing attraction. He did not feel shame or like he was somehow in the wrong. However, he did feel unworthy. 

He knows his feelings are not mutual. Understands that the banter between him and the two men on the dance floor is for show. Acknowledges that their relationship is fake, and for a good reason. Once the love letters stop and the press dies down on their sudden obsession with Rune’s love life, this will end. 

It’s going to _hurt_ when it ends. 

A pang in his chest alerts him of that terrifying thought: _I am going to be upset when this ends._ He’s never had that problem before. He purses his lips. He doesn’t have to let it end. He doesn’t want to let it end. But the only way it could go on was if-

If Rune and Brand shared his feelings. 

This would not be the first time Addam woos someone. It might be the last if he does it the right way and comes out of this fake dating gig with two boyfriends. 

A door opens behind him and he turns, careful not to drop his camera as he still records Rune and Brand dancing downstairs. Lord Tower steps in with his Companion behind him. Addam smiles and waves the two of them over. “What brings you two here?”

“A little practice for a competition we’ll be attending,” Lord Tower says. He glances over Addam’s shoulder. “Are they proving to be good dancers?”

“Not for a hobby or sport,” Addam eyes Brand as he purposefully steps forward too quickly and makes Rune trip. He laughs. “Their chemistry is truly remarkable.”

“I take it you like them, then?” 

“What’s not to like?” As Addam says that, he inhales sharply as Rune tries to jab Brand only for Brand to grab his arm mid movement. He can’t hear what they're saying but Brand is pantomiming as he scolds Rune for the action. “We three will be good friends.”

He can feel the hard stares of two sets of eyes on the back of his head as he focuses on Rune and Brand. “I am not saying that in a degrading way, I think they would both make for good romantic partners.” His lips curl into a smile as he watches Brand and Rune finally, fluidly transition from the waltz to the rumba. He just needs to figure out the best way to romance them both. 

“What are your plans for after this,” Mayan inquires, moving away from Addam and Lord Tower to set down the two duffel bags he was carrying. 

Addam shrugs, “I was going to find someone who could take professional photos of us. Make things more believable.”

“He meant after all this ends,” Lord Tower steps away as well, narrowly avoiding being seen by both Rune and Brand as the two of them call up to Addam. 

“I have no idea,” Addam answers. Then he turns off the video. “I’ll see you two at the party?” 

“Are we invited?” Lord Tower asks. 

“Always.” 

When he gets downstairs, he stops just to watch Rune as he takes several gulps of water. A little water dribbles down Rune’s chin and then his throat. Addam looks at Brand, regretting that instantly because Brand’s doing the same thing. 

_These two are going to kill me._

“We know someone who could take photos of us,” Rune supplies once he’s done drinking his water. “Ciaran loves doing these kinds of things.”

Addam nods. The popular Principality owns the local bar Cubic Dreams and has an eye for the aesthetics. He’s also just the person Addam was thinking of for taking pictures at Quinn’s birthday party. He’s a good choice. “I can call him and schedule a shoot,” he suggests. 

“No,” Rune quickly says. At Addam’s questioning look he offers, “If we go out in public together for it it’ll be believable, right? And that’s what we want?” 

Addam thinks about it for a moment. Good publicity as well as more time spent with Rune and Brand. “When would you two want to go out then?” 

Rune shares a look with Brand, another silent conversation happening right before Addam’s eyes. He wants to know what it’s like to have a conversation with someone with just looks and eye movements. Would he ever have synchrony with someone like the Scion and his Companion did? Would he ever have that with the two of them?

“Tomorrow,” Brand decides for the three of them. “Tomorrow we’ll meet with Ciaran, take some pictures, learn some more dancing, and then dinner. How’s that for a plan?” 

“Don’t you mean a date,” Rune looks proud of himself for that correction. 

Brand rolls his eyes, “Forgive me, my Lord, yes of course I meant a date.” 

Once again Addam thinks the two of them are adorable. “Yes,” he says. “It’s a date and it sounds wonderful, Brand.” 


	4. Progress: Rune POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for: Anxiety and anxiety attacks this chapter.

Its outward appearance a history of bad decisions, The Otis is a five-story building home to the Cubic Dreams bar. The elevator creaks on the journey up toward the top floor, and the hallway leading to the front entrance of the club glows various colors, the loud booming of music just beyond the door. 

There’s no fancy password to tell the bouncer, and Rune, Brand, and Addam enter with ease, the three of them immediately struck in the face with a cacophony of sound. Like noticeable sound waves vibrating through the air, the lights change color according to each note in the song that plays over the speaker. 

Mist and will-o’-wisps decorate the club, magical bubbles popping every so often to sprinkle patrons in varying types of debris ranging from beach sand, glitter, snow, and even inchworms. 

It is the epitome of a club built on tourism and attraction. Its aesthetics and eccentricity mirror the owner, Ciaran, who Rune could see across the room in the middle of conversation with someone attempting to impress him with card tricks. 

Making his way towards Ciaran is harder than it should be. The bar is more full than usual. Bodies press close together, mingling limbs and Rune forces himself to breathe normally. The urge to throw up crosses his mind and someone touches his lower back and Rune tenses up, the sensation dragging out a memory he didn’t want to resurface here of all places. 

“It’s me,” comes Brand’s voice close against his ear. _Brand_. Brand who is the only person able to touch his back. Brand who would never allow someone else to touch Rune like that. Brand whose voice drifts above the music and silences his paranoia like a comforting blanket being sat on his shoulders. 

Rune exhales. We are here to see Ciaran and I’ve got Brand with me. And Addam. I have Addam who has continuously proven himself safe to be around. Brand wouldn’t let Addam stay this long if he wasn’t safe. Addam was safe. 

Rune was safe with the two of them. 

“Sorry,” he calls over the music for Addam’s benefit. 

Addam gives him a look that Rune can’t place. “Do not apologize for something out of your control. You did not know it was Brand and so you reacted accordingly.” He pats Rune’s shoulder. His shoulder was a safe place to touch. Addam respects his boundaries even in a very close proximity that made things difficult. “Brand will lead and I will take the rear, no one will touch you.” He assures. 

Rune’s eyes water and he just nods. Then he turns around and follows after Brand. 

Ciaran is the type of person who stands out even under the neon lights of a rave or the splattering abstract art of a museum. Blue hair and bright red lipstick make his dark eyes more charming, more pulling. His eyes could hypnotize a crowd of tourists and they would thank him for draining their wallets. 

“I doubt it will sell well,” Ciaran is saying when Rune and the others pull up chairs next to him. He barely spares them a glance before he finishes his conversation. “Add some more flair,” then he waves the card-dealer away. “Are you here about Quinn’s birthday?” He asks, tone polite. 

“That,” Rune agrees, “and we were wondering if you were still hosting photography sessions.” 

Ciaran’s lips press together in an unimpressed flat line. “Always right to the point with you.” His eyes trail over to Brand and Addam. “I suppose my congratulations will have to wait for a later date.” 

“For what,” Rune starts, then stops when Brand cuts in.

“We’ll send you a ‘Thank You’ card even later.” 

Instead of retaliation, Ciaran just laughs. He clasps his hands together and rests his elbows on the bar top. “Pictures for what,” he asks innocently. 

_Oh, he’s going to drag this out_. Rune looks over at Brand and Addam, a pleading look on his face. He can feel Brand’s understanding through the bond, and one nod from Addam is all it takes before he and Brand are sharing a look. Rune knows that look. It’s the same look he and Brand share when silently deciding what to do. 

Seeing Brand share that look with Addam fills Rune with a pleasant thrill. His Companion and their boyfriend- fake boyfriend working together. Together. He almost lets out a sigh before the clearing of Ciaran’s throat drags Rune back to attention. He turns to stare at Ciaran blankly. 

“I’ve been there,” is all Ciaran says before he looks at Brand and Addam. “If I take pictures of the three of you, the press will think all of this,” he gestures to the three of them, “is for show. We can’t have that, now can we?” 

Rune wisely doesn’t answer that it is for show. Though, if he’s being honest with himself- and with Brand- things have been a little more than a show recently. During the week they spent apart from Addam, the two of them had both admitted to liking Addam. 

He glances over at Brand, feeling a worrying sensation through their bond. He mentally tugs on it, comforting Brand in the fastest way he knows. _They’ll tell Addam later._

“But Quinn invited you to the party,” Addam joins in. “He was telling me that you’re going to steal the spotlight.”

Ciaran’s lips curl, “What reason would I have to steal the spotlight?” The glimmer in his eyes tells Rune that Ciaran already knows the answer. “Though yes, I will be at the party. I can snap a few pictures of the three of you mingling and tasting wine. “ 

“You’re probably planning to steal the spotlight from _us_ ,” Brand sneers. Then he seems to remember that that was the original point of their fake dating trail: to get the press off of their backs, and he looks at Rune. 

Rune grimaces. “I won’t stop him if he has ideas.”

“I can think of a few,” Ciaran says in a sing-song tone. Then his face scrunches up. “Though I have to ask if you have plans for a suit yet? If not, I can recommend a tailor. Or I can do it for free,” he adds slyly. 

“No thank you,” Rune and Brand say at once. 

Rune honestly does not want to go looking for a suit but something as impressive as Addam’s little brother’s birthday party did not warrant an ugly old suit that had not been worn in years. “We’ll take their card,” he tells Ciaran. 

Ciaran acquiesces and summons a card from out of thin air. “The three of you should match.” 

The three of them bid Ciaran a quick farewell before they leave the building. 

Threads of Fate is lavish on the inside. White tile leads through the building, with various displays of trending suits out in the open in a photogenic manner. The walls are a light green to give a feeling of serenity throughout the store. 

Pressing his lips together to keep from sighing, Rune looks around. “We don’t have money for this,” he mutters, holding his arm as he turns to Brand and Addam. Brand’s watching him, like always, and nods in agreement though he probably didn’t hear what he said. Addam’s standing in front of a tie display, scanning through the various patterns for one that fits his liking. 

“Can I help you?” A voice asks, and Rune turns to find a clerk with brown hair and brown eyes. 

“We’re here for a fitting,” Rune says. 

“All three of you,” the clerk’s expression drops to a scowl. “Have you scheduled with us? May I get a name.” The clerk, whose name tag reads Alex, moves behind the counter and starts to type away on his computer. 

“Oh uh… No name,” Rune says, feeling more awkward as the seconds tick by. 

Alex rolls his eyes and Rune feels a pang of annoyance rising from Brand through their bond. Rune finds himself agreeing. He’s heard of bad customer service but did this clerk honestly expect them to know what they're doing? 

“Well, you can either schedule an appointment or you can buy a ready-made suit that we can adjust to fit your measurements,” Alex says. 

Addam steps closer, laying a dark umber tie on Rune’s shoulder and then another on Brands. He nods, then looks at Alex, “We will do just that. Tell me, are you the tailor or is there another person we can talk to?” He levels his tone as he speaks, eyes moving up and down Alex. 

“Our tailor is in the back with a client who had an appointment. In the meantime, please browse our ready-made suits over there,” Alex points. “I will be free to help you should any questions arise.” 

“Thank you, Alex,” Addam steers both Rune and Brand towards the section of the store where various suits hang on racks or on the wall, displaying all sorts of different brands and styles. “First let us start with a color scheme,” Addam begins. 

Rune learns three things in the hour that passes between entering Threads of Fate and waiting to have his suit fitted. The first is that Addam always gets his suits custom made and that he already had one in the works for the party. Not really a surprise but that explains why he was picking specific colors and ties. The second is that Brand is pickier about his clothing than he lets on and is the reason why they could not decide on matching suits. And finally, Rune has poor color coordination. 

“Why not just use the Sun Court colors,” Addam suggests, holding up a garnet colored jacket.

“Didn’t Ciaran tell us to match?” Rune asks. “Is the suit you’re going to wear the Sun Court colors?” 

“It might be,” Addam smiles coyly. 

Brand snorts, “You trying to infiltrate our court, Nicholas?” There’s a note of adoration in his voice, but Rune knows Brand would never admit it out loud. 

“Is it working?” Addam asks in an equally fond tone. 

Rune could listen to them talk back and forth for hours. Instead he shrugs, “I’m fine with it.”

Rune thought that after he picked a color scheme it would be easier from there. He was wrong. Next, Addam began to inform him and Brand of the various different suit styles. Rune will be the first to admit that he did not pay attention and let Brand handle the details. 

They end up with similar, but not identical suits. Both are slim fit suits, Rune’s with a shawl-lapel and Brand’s with a notch-lapel, each lapel a soft umber. Addam picks new ties out, choosing instead to add burgundy. “Sun colors with a splash of justice,” he explains as he replaces the ones he found earlier. “Sell them on the idea of us.”

 _Us_. Rune absorbs that word for what it is and smiles. Addam, Brand, and Rune. A trio. _An us._

“Sorry about that,” a man wearing blue says as he enters the room. “My name is Roland, how can I help you gentlemen today.” 

From there came what Rune will forever remember as some of the worst ten minutes of his life before everything got better. 

The first measurement goes by without a hitch. Rune stands still, eyes on his Companion and forcing himself to stop thinking about how close Roland stands to him. Roland is doing his job. Nothing more. Nothing less. _There is nothing wrong about a tailor standing too close to me and doing his job even though I feel prickles at my skin and the measuring tape is pressing against the nape of my neck and-_

Okay so the first measurement does not go well. Roland doesn’t completely put his hands on Rune, but the measuring tape ghosts against the fabric of the shirt, and the further down the tape goes, the more tense Rune finds himself becoming. He closes his eyes, inhaling and exhaling to calm his nerves. 

A tug at the Companion bond has him sliding his eyes open. Brand’s watching him with hard eyes, silently asking if he needs to step in. Rune’s so grateful to have someone like Brand in his life. 

The next two measurements pass with a blink, Rune keeping his eyes on Brand the whole time. He watches as Brand turns and says something to Addam, keeping his eyes on Rune all the while. 

Yeah, Rune really appreciates Brand. 

“Now I need to measure for the jacket,” Roland says. “Please raise your arms.” 

Rune does so. Roland then _wraps his arms around Rune_ , pulling the measuring tape around. Rune winces violently, fear spreading through his and Brand’s bond like a wildfire, gnawing at his insides as memories of arms holding him down resurface. 

Roland says something in alarming panic, but Rune only hears poisonous commands to _hold still_ , the sound of someone threatening to _gag him_ , the laughter of nine assailants as they watch him _struggle_. 

Bile rises in his throat, vision blurring with tears as he forces his hands out, pushing against Roland. The word _**‘NO’**_ runs through his mind over and over and over and over again until two miracles happen at once: 

Bright beautiful blue eyes stare into his with a delicate ferocity made from years of experience. Eyes that know how to captivate him and keep his attention. “You’re okay,” the voice belonging to the man in front of him says. A deep voice, familiar, a reminder of growing up together and feeling safe. _Safe_. _Brand_! Brand stands in front of him, blocking Rune’s view of anything that could bring back the flashbacks. 

Then there’s Addam, hands on Roland’s shoulders, talking in a quiet voice. Deescalating the situation. It’s a trick of the light, but Addam looks brighter, like a knight. Rune wants to call him over and apologize-

“Look at me,” Brand’s voice is gentle but firm. He tightens the hold he has on Rune’s hands, meeting Runes eyes. ”Tell me what you see.” 

I made him worry. Rune opens his mouth, and then closes it when Brand shakes his head. Their bond is speaking, telling Rune that it’s alright and that no one is mad at him. It wraps around him like a hug on a cold night, soaking all his negative energy up and replacing it with comfort. “I see you, Brand,” he says. Brand and Addam are in the room with him, the room remains the same colors as they were when he came in, and Roland is walking away while shaking his head but what matters the most is that Rune can see Brand standing right in front of him. “I see you,” he finishes. 

“How do you feel?” Presses Brand. 

Rune gives him a hesitant smile. “I want to leave.”

“We can leave in a moment,” Addam says as he joins the conversation. He stops a foot away from Rune. “I told Roland I would get the correct measurements for you, is that alright?” 

Rune nods. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Rune.” Addam’s tone sounds just like it did when he was comforting Rune earlier in Cubic Dreams. 

Rune shakes his head. “I do, though! I freeze up and react like that whenever someone touches me the wrong way.” He rubs at both of his arms, seeking warmth against the cold of his own feelings. “It was a pathetic scene and I’m sorry you had to see it.” 

Brand looks like he’s about to yell at Rune and their bond flares with defensiveness. But instead of Brand saying something, Addam holds a hand out and speaks directly to Rune, “That is not pathetic. Is that really how you see yourself?” He doesn’t wait for Rune to answer. “Do you want to know what I see? I see someone brave enough to go out into the world despite all his trauma. I see _a hero_ in front of me: _I see you_ , Rune.” He mirrors the words Rune spoke moments ago. 

Rune’s heart jumps to his throat. “Thanks.” His throat skips as he speaks. He wants to cry but instead he closes his eyes and mentally counts down from five. Then when he opens his eyes again, he clears his throat and looks at the measuring tape in Addam’s hands. “What other measurements do we need?” 

“We need to finish your jacket measurements and then measure your trousers.” Addam looks at the two of them earnestly. “I know how to take measurements. I can either take them for you or I can direct Brand how to take your measurements if that would be more comfortable.” 

Addam is not stating he is going to take Rune’s measurements, he is giving Rune a choice. That matters to Rune more than Addam would ever know. Rune lets go of his arms and feels around in the Companion bond to see what Brand is thinking. The bond is quiet and on alert but Rune can feel the trust Brand has for Addam. 

“I trust you,” Rune says rawly. 

The smile that Addam rewards him with is so warm that it rivals the sun. And Rune can tell it affects Brand too because the Companion bond swells with smitten attraction. They both trust Addam. 

“Alright Hero, it is very important that you tell me when to stop or if you need a moment,” Addam begins. He has Rune raise his arms up once more and very slowly wraps the measuring tape over Rune’s upper chest. Then he instructs Rune to lower his arms. 

“You’re not making that a nickname, are you?” Brand says from over Addam’s shoulder, watching both him and Rune. 

Addam nods. “It suits him and will remind him of what I said.” He spares Brand a quick glance. “Do you want a nickname too, Brand?” 

Rune snorts, shaking his head. It already feels more easy with Addam being the one taking his measurements. He barely notices that Addam has a finger touching his chest between the tape and Rune’s shirt. “When we were younger I used to call him B-Man.”

“And that nickname sucked and still sucks today,” Brand hisses. 

“It is only fair you get a nickname, seeing as I have one and Rune has one now too.”

“What’s your nickname?” 

“Do you not call me lover boy as a term of endearment?” Addam moves away from Rune and marks something down on a piece of paper neither Rune nor Brand noticed he had. 

Brand sneers at Addam behind his back and Rune laughs. How was it that these two made him feel better so quickly? “I would like to see what you come up with,” he tells Addam once he returns. 

“Maybe I’ll write a love letter.” Addam teases. 

Rune thinks he wouldn’t mind reading a love letter written by Addam. “Oh, make it cheesy and put cologne on it or something,” he offers just to see Brand squirm. 

Addam’s eyes glint at the suggestion. “I will. What kind of cologne do you think our Brand likes?” 

“Something nature-y, probably. Oh! What if-”

“I’m right here,” Brand snarls. He huffs when Addam and Rune burst into laughter, then Brand turns away. Rune knows that Brand is having fun and, because the Companion bond never lies, knows that Brand would love to read a love letter written by Addam too. 

“We can scheme another time,” Addam whispers. Then he holds up the measuring tape. “I now have to measure your legs. I will need to touch your hip momentarily, is that okay?” 

His mind tells him to tell Addam ‘no.’ “Yes.”

Addam has Rune stand at attention. Then he lowers himself to the ground and looks up at Rune, meeting his eyes. “Once again, tell me at any point if I need to stop.” 

After a confirming nod from Rune, Addam presses the top of the measuring tape to Rune’s hip bone, watching Rune for any reaction, then he slides the tape down. He stops just at Rune’s left heel. 

Rune observes him closely, stilling his breathing as Addam works. “You have to do the inside now, don’t you?”

“I do.”

Rune swallows, heat spreading across his face. A blush blooms on his face as Addam presses the backs of his knuckles on the inside of Rune’s thigh. If he were being honest with himself, looking down at Addam on his knees was not an unpleasant sight. If anything it makes Rune’s chest bubble with feelings he only ever likened to Brand. 

Brand, somewhere Rune can’t bring himself to look because he’s watching Addam, lets out a loud noise that’s a combination of a snort and a cackle, and Rune flushes darker. He can feel Brand’s amusement through their bond. He can also feel Brand’s approval. 

Next, Addam measures Rune’s waist and then what Addam calls the ‘seat measurement.’

“He’s measuring your ass,” Brand says. 

“I know.” Rune rolls his eyes. He is trying and failing not to think about Addam’s hands on him. So different from any assailant or tailor’s hands on him. So different from Brand’s hands on him. Kinder. 

Dutiful to his job, Addam lets their comments slide and gets back down on his knees. “Lastly I am going to measure your cuff length. Can I touch your ankle?”

“Sure?” Rune phrases his answer as a question. Then he reflexively kicks his foot back when Addam encircles the measuring tape around his left ankle. “Absolutely not.” His voice raises an octave and he shudders. The tape had only been around the fabric but the feeling was foreign and unpleasant. 

Addam doesn’t bat an eye. “No problem, I can measure Brand and then when I do his cuff length, I can go a few inches shorter for you.” He turns to look at Brand with expectation. “As long as that is okay with you?” 

Brand gives him a noncommittal noise.

Rune moves out of the way and takes a seat across from the two of them. “It will go by faster if I write down the measurements for you.” He grabs the pen and paper that Addam has been using to keep track. It’s an excuse to get his mind on something that is not his nerves. Addam is a good distraction but he has to measure Brand now. 

It takes less than fifteen minutes for Addam to finish measuring Brand. “There we go!” Addam stands up straight and pats Brand on the shoulder. “I need to give these to Roland and then we can leave,” he pauses. “Do you want me to cancel our dancing lessons for today? I don’t mind.”

Brand brushes off his shoulder while shooting a dirty look at Addam. 

Rune holds a hand to his chin, thinking. Neither he nor Brand are good enough at dancing to be seen at the party. “I don’t think I want to dance, but Brand could use the practice.” 

“I’ll show you practice,” Brand growls. 

“Aw, do you not want to dance with me, Brand?” Addam crosses his arms and pouts.

For the first time in his life, Rune hears his Companion _sputter_. Rune grins. “Yeah, don’t you want to dance with him, Brand.” 

“I hate you both,” is all Brand says before he snatches up the paper with his and Rune’s measurements on it. “Go to the car, I’ll give this to Roland.” Rune wonders if Addam can see the blush on Brand’s face as he storms out. 

Selene Studios is as empty as it was when they were here yesterday. “I know the Tower owns this place but is it always this dead?” Asks Rune as he finds a chair to unfold and place near where Addam and Brand are going to dance. 

“Classes only meet four days a week,” Addam explains. “The last class ended three hours ago."

As Brand and Addam go over the box step from yesterday, Rune observes the two of them. He snorts when he overhears Brand telling Addam he’s too tall. They bicker back and forth as if they’ve known each other for longer than a couple weeks.

It’s nice watching Addam get along with Brand. _This gives us another reason to tell Addam how we feel_ , Rune tells himself. Then he looks at Brand as he stumbles over his left foot. Addam is teaching him to do a triple step. _I need to tell Brand how I feel too_. So much to talk about, so little time. 

He thinks about how comfortable Brand looks, then he thinks about how comfortable he was earlier with Addam. In time, Rune is sure he will be able to trust Addam with his body just as he trusts Brand. Then he thinks back to the kiss Brand and Addam shared. He marinates on that thought, remembering the feeling of excitement he got in seeing Brand so into a kiss. 

He plays around with the idea of kissing Addam too. 

Rune recalls the first time he and Brand kissed. Being thirteen and drunk, the kiss was short and Rune remembers Brand pushing him away. He’s confident it was because he was drunk because Brand kissed him back before he threw him into the pool. What would it be like to kiss Brand now? 

Rune wants to kiss both Brand and Addam. 

His face heats up and he buries it in his hands. He does not need to think about this right now. So he pushes the idea to the back of his mind, ignores the yearning in his chest as he looks up to see Addam leading Brand around the room in a walk, and breathes out. 

Then he lifts up his phone and snaps a quick picture, lips curling as he plans to show it to the two of them later. 


	5. Changes: Brand POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Love runs deep.

_“Quinn’s birthday is in two days, I hope you two are excited!”_ Is the caption that accompanies Addam’s daily selfie. He’s posting with Quinn, the two of them clinking two plastic cups of boba tea together. Quinn’s sunglasses rest on his head and Addam’s cover up his burgundy eyes. _That’s a shame_ , Brand thinks. He likes Addam’s eyes. 

Rune flops down on the couch next to him and leans into his space. “You like him,” he sings. 

“You do too.” Brand does not move away. He types out a response but doesn’t press send because a second image fills the screen. One of just Addam himself, lips covering his straw and smiling almost devilishly. In this picture, his sunglasses jut out from the tank top he wears, and Brand notices that Addam’s hair is loose and not in a ponytail. 

A wordless communication passes between him and Rune through their bond. An unmistakable desire to be where Addam is and push him against another wall is overwhelmingly strong. “He should be illegal,” Brand mutters. He saves the picture to a folder on his phone that has only pictures of Addam in it. 

“Is that what you are going to put in your love letter to him?” Asks Rune in a tone that makes Brand want to push him off the couch. 

Brand rolls his eyes. 

With dance lessons over and another week dragging by, the love letters from Rune’s admirers came to an end. Brand has a strong suspicion that it was because Addam was overheard by a paparazzi talking about how he now writes them love letters. Which of course, is what led to both Brand and Rune wanting to write love letters and cheesy responses to the poetic phrases Addam relays through the pages. That’s right. He sent _pages_ instead of just one.

They’ve read it many times since the mail came. They’re reading it once more right now. The first page addresses the both of them: 

_“My boys, At the risk of sounding romantic, I’m writing down how very much you have made a home inside my heart. In your kindness and unwavering loyalty, I have found something beautiful and profound. I find my mind wandering to thoughts of you all throughout my waking moments and weaving into my dreams. Truly I have found myself with two perfect partners as we learn this new dance of courtship together.”_

Brand looks at Rune, who looks back at him with the same expression. 

“Do you think,” Rune starts, then stops. He closes his mouth and shakes his head, flipping the page and notices this one is for him. Brand reads over his shoulder. _“Rune, solnyshko, I know you are not fond of love letters; I can only hope the ones I send can be something you cherish for a change. I could fill pages with all the little things I’ve fallen in love with - you would probably disagree with a fair few, as your modest heart shies away from so much. Undoubtedly it was your sweetness and natural charm that drew me in, and your goodness and brave heart that keeps me.”_

Rune has to hand the love letter to Brand to wipe his eyes. “We need to tell him,” he whispers. It’s the first time Rune confirms out loud that they need to tell Addam.

Brand can feel the emotions eating through their Companion bond. He wants to tell Addam too. Wants to open Atlantalk and message Addam to get his ass over here so they could tell him how they feel. Instead, he turns the page and reads the one meant for him. _“Brand, fiercely loyal, and steadfast. I was delighted to find your playfulness and humor under that armor you wear. You caught me by surprise; I think perhaps we caught each other by surprise. Despite all your protest about sentiment, I think you enjoy this kind of sweetness, and so I hope these words stay with you. . . and yes I still think about the kiss.”_

 _Addam thinks about their kiss_. The thought spins around his head and Brand has to inhale and exhale to calm his nerves. He thinks about the kiss a lot. He thinks about Addam a lot. “We will tell him, tonight,” he tells Rune. “And yes, he means it,” he answers the question Rune couldn’t finish moments ago. _“My boys, I won’t ask for my heart back. It is in the best hands that anyone could hope for. Call it my optimistic outlook on life, but something soul-deep tells me this is - us - is special in an unwavering way. Yours, wholly Addam.”_

The last page addresses them again and Rune slinks against Brand. “Can we frame these,” he asks. “He called us his boys,” he cooes. Then he glances at Brand. “What are you going to say in your letter?

“None of your business,” he says. Mentally, however, Brand is rewording the letter he already wrote last night, thinking of better ways to sound romantic and like he isn’t telling Addam to leave New Atlantis. “What are you going to tell him?”

Rune shrugs. “I don’t know yet. I’m not as good with words as he is, but I think he’ll like it. He’s the sentimental type.” He takes the letters from Brand and places them down on the coffee table. 

They sit in comfortable silence for a few minutes, their bond humming with questions neither know how to word, but Brand can feel Rune’s impatience hitting the fan. So he nudges Rune gently in the shoulder and demands he tell Brand what’s on his mind. “We have time until we meet up with Addam for dinner. Talk.”

Rune gives him a noise that he only gives when he’s trying to figure out how to say something that won’t get him dumb looks from Brand. Then he gestures at the love letters, gestures at Brand, and then gestures at himself. “It all started with love letters and now it’s coming to an end with love letters, isn’t that ironic?” 

Even without the bond, Brand could feel the gloom rolling off Rune. He doesn’t know why though, because they plan to tell Addam that they don’t want to end this today. “We’ve already talked about this,” he says. “So if you’re thinking about giving me some drawn out speech of how we should ask Addam to be our real boyfriend then think again. The answer is we’re telling him tonight.”

“I wasn’t thinking about Addam.” An unfamiliar emotion sneaks through the Companion bond, cold and consuming as if it were midnight and snow was the only thing illuminating the night. Rune doesn’t move away, if anything he seems to curl closer to Brand as if searching for warmth against the blizzard that was their bond. “I was thinking about you, Brand.”

If Brand pulls away, he knows Rune will take it as rejection. He can feel Rune refraining from closing the bond, so Brand wraps an arm around Rune’s shoulder, dragging him as close as he can. “You’re thinking too hard.” With the Companion bond full of ice, it’s easy to hide his own growing anxiety. He knows what this is building up to. A moment the two of them have been dancing around since _before_ the love letters started. Since the first kiss by the pool when they were thirteen and it didn’t count. “I’m not going anywhere. Nothing changes between us except that we drop the fake dating pretense.” 

Rune’s quiet for a moment. 

That moment is all Brand needs, though, because the bond thaws. Brand feels relief as the snow melts away, replacing anxiety with understanding and acceptance. He can feel Rune reaching towards him in the bond, a yearning that had been background noise to recent events. Feelings finally surfacing after hiding too long in the depths of their minds. 

“All I think about lately is that kiss.” Rune’s not talking about the kiss between Brand and Addam during laser tag. “I wish I hadn’t been drunk.” 

“You’re not drunk now,” Brand points out. “You realize that once we start dating, you don’t have to think about that kiss. You could think about other kisses.” He mentally laughs at himself. _I sound like Rune_ , he thinks. That’s not inherently a bad thing. 

“We’re already dating.” Rune catches onto what Brand means, however, and his smile is slowly becoming a real smile that didn’t involve hesitance. 

“I mean for real dating,” Brand corrects. 

“Didn’t you say I couldn’t handle dating you for real?” 

Brand pulls away from Rune so he can face him properly. Then he sets both his hands on Rune’s shoulders. “No one can,” his eyes spark challengingly as he speaks, leaning forward. “No one but you.” He silently includes _and Addam_ , choosing right now to focus on his Scion and lets his confession run through the bond freely. 

Rune is the one who pushes forward and meets Brand’s lips for a kiss. 

This is the one kiss that matters. Kissing Rune has been Brand’s one desire for so long that now that he has it, he’s letting it consume him. He puts years worth of desire and want for his Scion into the kiss, licking Rune’s bottom lip and coaxing soft sighs from him. Moving a hand from Rune’s shoulder to his cheek, Brand feels Rune melt into his hand. It’s their first real kiss and he puts his everything into it. 

Their first real kiss of many. 

The thought sprouts a meadow of flowers inside Brand’s stomach. Elation and the thrill of first love fills him, possesses his very being as he kisses Rune. His Scion, the other part of his soul, his best friend and his first love, his number one reason for living. _His everything_. His Rune. 

Pulling apart from Rune has never been easy, not from hugs and certainly not from kisses. He rests his forehead against Rune’s and laughs softly when their breathing mingles. He refuses to speak, not wanting to be the one to ruin the perfect moment. He lets Rune have that job. 

“Do we have to meet Addam for dinner later? Can we not just stay in and cuddle- and kiss- the rest of the day? Confessions are so taxing.”

“You call that a confession?” Brand arches an eyebrow. Then he shakes his head. “No, we’re going to tell our other boyfriend that we love him, Rune.” 

_Wait._

“We love him now, do we?” Rune squints at him, licking his lips. “We haven’t even told each other that we love each other! I can’t believe we fell in love with Addam first.” Rune drags himself away and holds a hand to his head. 

He’s so dramatic. Brand rolls his eyes fondly before he says, “We can fall in love without having to say the word. You and I have been in love for ages, just haven’t said anything. We’re still in the process of falling in love with Addam-”

Rune kisses Brand _again_. It’s chaste and surprising and Brand blinks when Rune backs away. “I know,” Rune says. “But now that we know how we feel, and how we feel about Addam, then we should be allowed to say it as many times as we want.” Then he stands from the couch and makes a comment about grabbing popcorn while Brand finds them something to watch on TV. 

Brand watches Rune before he vanishes into the kitchen. It took only a second, but in that second Brand saw Rune change. _He’s that sure of his feelings_. Then Brand closes his eyes and smiles. _We’re that sure of our feelings._

His phone pings, drawing him from his thoughts, and he checks Atlantalk. There’s another selfie of Addam with a headband in his hair and a jacket over his tank top from earlier. He’s winking at the camera. “Quinn likes it when you two bring brownies, by the way, forgot to say that earlier. I’m not sure if that’s him requesting brownies or a vision, but nonetheless.” Then in a second message, Addam tells them that he’s in the middle of an interview if he and Rune want to watch. 

“Rune, Addam’s on TV,” he calls to Rune before he switches through the channels until he finds Addam talking to the press. 

Rune returns to the couch with a bowl of popcorn and two beverages for himself and Brand. Brand takes it gratefully and turns the volume up. 

“I look forward to dancing with them at my brother's party,” Addam is saying. He looks comfortable as he stands in front of the cameras, eyes never leaving his interviewer. 

“How long did you say the three of you were dating,” the interviewer, a lady with short white hair and glasses asks. 

Addam pretends to think about it. “We were dating in secret for a couple months- no reason for the secrecy other than my boyfriends don’t enjoy the spotlight being on them.” His eyes narrow off to the side to who Brand recalls is the reporter who made Rune uncomfortable a few weeks ago. “But none of us are upset that we are public knowledge now.”

The interviewer smiles. “What can you tell us about these love letters that we’ve been hearing about recently?” 

“I don’t know, what can you tell me?” Asks Addam with a laugh. Then he straightens his posture, “Now that they’ve stopped, I’m grateful. They were making Rune especially uncomfortable,” Addam looks directly at the camera. “A love letter should be heartfelt and romantic, not gross or impersonal. And if you were doing it as a prank, I politely request you change your prank mannerisms.” 

Brand knows Addam hasn’t read any of the letters besides the one that started it all, but he appreciates that Addam appears like he _has_ read them. 

They wrap up the interview quickly after that. Brand turns off the TV and looks at Rune, who was watching it with careful eyes the whole time. “What?”

“Did he look like he was holding a bag from Theia’s Treasures?” 

“The jewelry store?” Brand hadn’t been paying attention to anything Addam was holding, if he was being honest. He had been watching Addam talk the whole time, admiring his facial features. 

Rune shrugs it off. “Maybe I was imagining things.”

Deciding it was not that important, the two of them spend the rest of the day planning for dinner with Addam. Brand goes through Rune’s closet for a solid ten minutes before he finds something nice for Rune to wear, and then he goes back downstairs to his own room to get ready. 

“Dinner isn’t going to be special,” Rune complains as he trudges downstairs, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. He's wearing black, keeping it as simple as possible, but Brand tosses him a brown jacket. 

Brand stops in front of a mirror to check his appearance. He pops his collar, admiring the blue dress shirt he wore under his own jacket. “Tonight is special,” he replies. “We’re going to confess to our boyfriend.” 

“You say it so casually,” Rune whines. He stops next to Brand and stares in the mirror. 

Brand can see the blush rising on Rune’s cheeks. Seeing his Scion looking at him like that gives Brand the best sense of satisfaction. He could get used to this sensation, feeling Rune openly look at him with those gray-blue eyes. Nothing is stopping him, he realizes, from leaning down and kissing Rune-

He doesn’t. Not right now! “Stop staring at me like that or we won’t leave the house,” he tells Rune. “Addam’s waiting for us and if you make us late for our date, I will kill you.”

Rune has the audacity to pout. “You wouldn’t kill me, I’m your favorite.” He bats his eyelashes up at Brand. 

“Real cute,” Brand deadpans. He means it, though he won’t tell Rune that. “Come on.”

They arrive at the same time as Addam. Coincidentally, they park right next to him. In contrast to the brown, beat up Saturn that Rune and Brand own, Addam’s car is a sleek, shiny black town car. No one would be able to guess that the two cars were here for the same reason. Brand doesn’t care what other people think anyway. 

Rune whistles under his breath and Brand follows his gaze. Addam is wearing his hair back with a hair clip pushing his bangs out of the way. His shirt is a nice dark red shade, drawing out the color of his eyes, and he’s wearing black pants. 

Brand clears his throat, “You look good,” he says. 

“Hot, even,” Rune adds uselessly. 

Addam just laughs, smug and fully aware of how he’s affecting the two of them. “Nothing but the best for my boys.” 

The River Styx is a semi-formal restaurant on the water. Dimly lit both inside and outside, it gives off the atmosphere of luxury while having decent prices for their food and a nice wait staff that doesn’t leave Brand ready to yell at someone. 

Brand lets Addam sit next to Rune. The look of surprise on Addam’s face as he slides into the booth next to Rune almost makes him laugh. “You wouldn’t be sitting there if I didn’t trust you,” he says. “Which I do, so you’re stuck with him now.”

“Wow is that how you treat our date,” Rune shoots him a look that holds no bite. He looks at Addam, “Ignore him, it can just be us tonight.” 

Brand kicks Rune under the table. Rune curses and flips him the bird. 

“I’m starting to see why he wanted to sit across from you,” Addam speaks to Rune. He relaxes, setting an arm around the back of the booth: if Rune were to lean back, Brand could get a picture of them. 

Rune laughs. Brand ignores the two of them, deciding his menu is more interesting. 

Dinner swings into effect after that. Addam leads the three of them in light conversation, talking about his day and the interview he did. Brand keeps eye contact with Rune when he reaches over and, as Addam is talking about how their suits will arrive tomorrow morning, he steals a bite off of Rune’s plate. Rune glares at him but when he tries to steal his own bite off Brand’s plate, Brand gently slaps his fork away. 

“Addam, he’s bullying me,” Rune complains. 

“This was just an elaborate scheme to steal food from each other’s plates, was it not?” Addam asks, innocently stealing a bite of food from Rune’s plate too. He laughs when Rune gives him a look of betrayal. 

Brand offers Addam his plate in approval, “See, he knows the game.”

Rune scoffs at the two of them, but his eyes reflect the smiles all three of them wear. 

Dessert comes twenty minutes later. Dark chocolate cheesecake with whipped cream and a cherry on top. Brand watches in amusement while Addam feeds Rune a bite off his own fork but Rune misses and some of the chocolate gets on his nose. Then he shakes his head when Addam offers him a bite. 

After wine and banter, and maybe a second serving of cheese cake, Brand and Rune share a look. They don’t need words or a bond to know that it’s time. 

“After this, let’s go to the park,” Rune suggests. He’s leaning back against Addam’s arm, finishing the last of his cheesecake before he pushes the plate forward toward Brand. 

“Aww, a moonlit stroll for me,” Addam purrs, eyes landing on Brand’s phone as Brand slowly raises it out from under the table. 

“We do everything for you,” he replies. Brand snaps the photo quickly, snorting to himself when he sees Rune still has yet to notice. “You two go to the cars, I’ll pay.” He gets up from the booth and doesn’t wait for the two of them before he leaves to pay at the register. For a fancy restaurant, he thinks it’s absurd that they have to pay at the register instead of with a waiter. _Oh well._

The drive to Poseidon Park is quick and short, Brand and Rune sitting in scheming silence as Addam follows them in his car. 

In the daytime, the park is brimming with patrons, but at night it is a whole different sight. The trees sing with the wind, and lights in the form of both fireflies and little sprites flutter in the air as if they own the park. The water is louder in the fountains, almost as if possessed by water elementals. 

The sky above is clear, starry, and even with the wind the air is warm. It’s magical. Perfect for a confession. 

Brand walks ahead of Rune and Addam. Automatically, he checks their surroundings for threats, looking for something to do that isn’t fretting about when he and Rune are going to confess.

Brand Saint John does not do nervousness. That's Rune’s job. 

The three of them stop by a picnic table. The wind blows around them, welcoming them back to the place where it all began. The same park where they met Addam. The same picnic table where they began their fake dating escapades. _How ironic_ , Brand thinks.

“We have a lot to talk about, I take it?” Addam inquires. He sits down at the picnic table, facing both Rune and Brand. “You both have this air of tension around you.” His eyes narrow. “Did I do something wrong?” 

“No,” Brand and Rune say simultaneously. 

“No,” Brand repeats, shaking his head. “You did nothing wrong. We have good news.” 

Addam leans forward in his seat, clasping his hands together. “Oh? I am all ears,” he says. 

“Do you remember when we first met and you asked us if we were dating?” Rune questions. At Addam’s nod, Rune smiles. “Well it gave us the push we needed and now the two of us are dating for real.” 

Brand winces, knowing Rune should have found a different way to word that sentence because he watches Addam recoil slightly. There’s three seconds where Addam schools his features before he beams brightly at the two of them. The hurt in his voice is unmistakable. Brand’s stomach lurches at the sight; it reminds him of those times when Rune is vulnerable and in need of comfort. 

“That’s wonderful!” Addam sits up straight, eyes betraying him. “You two are-”

“And,” Brand cuts in harshly. He decides he should have been the one to bring this up to Addam. If only the three of them had the same bond, then Brand could assure him without words. “We meant to tell you this during dancing lessons but there was never a good time. We like you Addam.”

Rune quickly adds, “As in, we want to date you. Make it official… If you’ll have us.” As Rune finishes talking, Brand can feel a pulse of Rune’s anxiety. Or maybe it was his own. 

Brand has never seen anyone brighten up brighter than Rune before, but suddenly it is as though Addam is a reflection of the moonlight. His eyes shine lighter and his smile is enough to rival even Atlantis’ finest temptress. 

“I like you both too.” Addam’s voice is as gentle as the wind around them. “I was going to ask you both to be my real boyfriends after the party,” he confesses. 

His words were like a lullaby, calming both Rune and Brand. Brand lets the feeling of relief wash over him, sharing it with Rune before he looks at Addam. “No one even has to know we were faking it.”

Addam smirks. “I was never faking it, my dear shield.” He stands up and starts walking around the table toward Brand. 

Brand gawks at him. “What did you just call me?” 

Rune barks out a laugh, “Get it? Because you’re always protecting me- us- oh the rivers below, that is perfect Addam!” 

“No way,” Brand growls. He pretends his cheeks are not getting hot. “You can come up with something better than that, can’t you, lover boy?” His question comes out as a challenging taunt. When Addam stops in front of Brand, he glares up at him.

“If I didn’t know better, I would say that Rune taught you how to pout,” Addam compliments. He cups Brand’s cheeks and looks down at him with soft red eyes. “Or were you the one who taught him?”

“Brand taught me everything I know,” Rune calls from off to the side. Brand doesn’t know where Rune’s at because he is paying attention to Addam’s hands on his cheeks. But before Addam can lean down and kiss Brand, Brand feels a tug in the Companion bond and looks over at Rune. 

Rune grins slyly before he grabs Addam’s arm and pulls him away from Brand. “You’ve already kissed Brand, it’s my turn now.” He grabs at the hem of Addam’s shirt and drags him down into a kiss, and Brand closes his eyes, leaning against the picnic table. 

He’s not the one kissing Addam, but he can feel everything through the bond. Brand sighs contentedly, imagining how soft Rune’s lips must be against Addam’s. He wonders how Addam feels, wishes he could share his and Rune’s bond with Addam just to show him how wonderful it really is to share everything with someone. He hears a quiet noise from his two boyfriends- he can call them that officially now- and exhales at length, trying to push away the more intimate images that have started surfacing. “We need to leave before we get caught by a guarda officer for public indecency,” Brand groans. Well, Rune might not get in trouble for it, and Addam might not either, but Brand would not deny that he feels something more than safe in this moment. 

Addam and Rune must notice too because they look at Brand, then at each other, and then back at Brand. Brand can feel the mischief blooming between the two. He narrows his eyes. “What?” 

They advance on him and Brand easily avoids Rune, but is caught by Addam’s arms around his waist and lips suddenly on his cheek. “You’re right, of course,” Addam murmurs against his cheek, kissing him once more before he lets Brand go. “And we are going to need to have another talk about boundaries before we do anything that’s on your mind, my shield.”

“Shield is such a cute nickname for you,” Rune whispers as he leans in and kisses Brand’s other cheek. 

It hits him just like that: how much he is smitten with the two men in front of him. One he’s known his whole life and would move mountains for; the other he’s known only a short while, but finds himself falling for with each passing day. “I’m about to start calling him scales, see what he thinks about that,” Brand grumbles, but he grabs for Rune. Instead of going for a cheek kiss or his lips, Brand kisses Rune’s hand. Then he does the same with Addam’s hand. 

“Scales suits me just fine,” Addam nods. He looks at Rune, “Don’t you agree, solnyshko?” 

“What does that mean?” Asks Rune.

Addam just winks. “Sunshine.”

Brand cackles and he wraps an arm around Addam’s waist, “Ha, you’re sunshine,” he shoots at Rune. “Shield and sunshine, that’s just like you to give us cheesy nicknames that fit,” he says to Addam. 

Rune leans into Addam’s other side, also wrapping an arm around his waist. “You’re going to teach us how to properly say that, right?” 

Addam hums. “I could.” He puts an arm around both Rune and Brand. “But do you really want our first official date to be Russian lessons?” 

“No,” Rune wrinkles his nose. 

“Our first official date was tonight,” Brand decides. “We fed you and then took you for a walk in the park, aren’t we the best boyfriends.” 

“The best,” Rune cheers. 

Addam’s laugh is the embodiment of warmth. “I can’t wait to show the two of you off at the party.” 

“Who says we won’t be the ones showing you off?” Rune sounds confident in himself as he speaks. He looks over at Brand from around Addam. “We are going to be the ones showing him off, right?” 

“Of course we are,” Brand answers. “We are the best boyfriends, I just said this.” 

When the three of them return to their cars, they just sit together and chat for longer. The only reminder of time is Brand’s watch when it beeps three times at midnight. Neither of them want to go home, but all three of them need to finish preparing for Quinn’s birthday party. Brand has to bake brownies; Rune has to do something worthwhile; and Addam has to make sure everything is in place. 

Maybe they spend a few minutes kissing under the moonlight. Rune pushes Addam against his car door, murmuring a soft goodbye to him before he gets in the Saturn. Brand pulls Addam into a kiss, mouthing against his skin a promise for the future. “Good night, lover boy.”

“Goodnight,” Addam says; and then he blows a kiss in Rune’s direction and gets in his car. 

The two of them watch Addam pull out of the parking lot and watch as his car drives off into the distance. “We forgot to give him the love letters we wrote,” Brand groans. 

Rune shrugs. “We can give them to him later.” He pauses. “I’ve never been more excited about a party than I am right now,” he confesses. 

“Me too,” Brand admits. 

By the time Brand gets the two of them home, Rune’s falling asleep in his seat. Brand generously carries him inside and up the stairs, dropping him on his bed. “Goodnight,” Brand says.

“Oh no,” Rune says. “We’re sleeping together, get down here.” 

Brand rolls his eyes, “Twelve hours as boyfriends and you’re being demanding already. I can tell this is going to be fun.”

“You’re the one who wanted to date me,” Rune teases. 

“I don’t regret it. Move over.” 


	6. Showstopper: Addam POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Party time!!!

Addam pulls his hair back into a ponytail, smiling at himself in the mirror. He can see Rune and Brand behind him a few feet away, Rune pulling at Brand’s tie as the two talk. Addam’s smile grows wider. 

He’s _officially_ dating Rune and Brand Saint John. He could say he was not expecting their situation to turn out like this, but that would be a lie. As if this hasn’t been his goal since kissing Brand during laser tag. Was it possible for his smile to grow even more? His cheeks would hurt eventually, but he found he didn’t care because he’s dating Rune and Brand! 

He could be dreaming. 

It is easy to know he’s not, however, because his heart swells with adoration when he watches Brand bend down and kiss Rune through the mirror. “You two are adorable,” he tells them because he can finally say it out loud. 

Addam turns to properly face them, openly admiring the suits they are wearing. Nearly identical, the two of them wear garnet suits with burgundy ties- a little Justice Court flare. Brand has a notch-lapel with a fake rose on it; Rune’s shawl-lapel doesn’t have a flower on it because he is currently fiddling with the flower. Their cuff-links match- two small, golden suns on each cuff. 

“Stop staring at us and get over here.” Brand shakes his head. “You don’t look so bad yourself.” 

Addam can’t argue. He had intentionally sent in a custom-suit order to match the Sun Court colors. The only difference between his suit and theirs was that Addam’s suit-sleeves had little scale and sword patterns running up the sides. “Flattery will get you everywhere tonight,” he teases lightly before he grabs a bag off of the counter. 

The other day he’d run by Theia’s Treasures and bought something special to go on their lapels. “Take off the flower,” he gently tells Brand. Then he takes out three boxes, holding two of them out to Rune and Brand. 

“Proposing already?” Rune asks. 

Brand snorts. “Give us a few months notice first, Saint Nicholas. Maybe a couple years.”

“I would have a more elaborate proposal if I were asking you two to marry me,” Addam replies easily. “No, I thought I would make a subtle statement.”

Subtle meant two matching pins in the shape of a sword with scales, to symbolize the Justice Court, and one singular sun for the Sun Court. “I had hoped to ask you two to be my boyfriends with these,” he says. “However you beat me to it.” He gives the two of them a fond look before he takes the sun-pin out of the box in his hands, which he fashions to his own lapel. “Now anyone can tell I belong to the two of you.” 

An audible _‘Oh_ ,’ fills the room from the two of them and Addam feels a smug satisfaction for pulling the noise from his boyfriends. 

“How much time do we have until we have to go out there,” Rune asks, tilting his head towards the door. 

Addam checks the time on his phone, purposefully showing Rune and Brand that his lock screen is of the two of them linking their arms together and drinking out of each other’s soda glasses. He decides not to tell them when the picture was taken and instead lets them guess on their own. “About ten minutes,” he answers. 

“I wanted to tell you that I trust you.” Rune grabs Addam’s hand and plays with his fingers for a moment before he looks up into Addam’s eyes. “I still won’t do anything sexual, but you and Brand are allowed to touch me… almost anywhere. Shoulders, back, arms, all of that… stuff.”

He glances at Brand and watches him nod before Addam gives his full attention to Rune. “Thank you,” he says. “Your trust is very important to me, Rune, but I still want you to tell me if anything is uncomfortable. And, I will always ask regardless of what I am going to do.”

Rune’s voice is weak when he replies, “I know, that’s why I love you.” 

“Oh.” The word slips out of his mouth unintentionally. The rawness in Rune’s words is too much for Addam to handle. So much that he lets the fact consume him. 

_Rune loves him._

The party outside their dressing room door could melt away and Addam would be okay with that. As long as he’s in this room with the two men who own his heart and the knowledge that Rune loves him, he would be okay. Addam smiles and takes Rune’s chin in his hand gently, tilting his gaze upward _just so_ and leaning his forehead against Rune’s. 

There are a million ways to express gratitude and love. Addam does his in a small action, closing his eyes and breathing softly, “Can I kiss you?” Rune was the first to initiate the other kisses; this time it was Addam’s turn. 

“You don’t have to ask for that,” Rune replies. His lips are already brushing against Addam’s. 

His fingers ghost against Rune’s chin as he kisses him. Addam can hear Brand shuffling behind them and hears the unmistakable click of Brand’s phone unlocking. He lets out a breathy laugh against Rune’s lips, softly murmuring to him, “I think Brand is jealous.”

“He’s not,” Rune assures as he pulls away, reaching up and running his fingers down Addam’s cheek. “If you could feel what he felt right now, we would not be leaving this room.” 

Addam looks at Brand slyly, “Oh?” 

Brand currently has his back on them, his phone held above his head as he captures a picture of the three of them in a selfie. “Ignore Rune,” he says. Then, “I love you too, if you didn’t know that yet. But if you get all emotional and glassy eyed on me, I’m going to leave both you and Rune in this room and party by myself.”

Moving away from Rune, Addam grabs Brand’s hand. “I agree we should make our entrance, but will you promise to share your thoughts with me later?” He brings Brand’s hand up and kisses Brand’s fingers, keeping eye contact. 

Even with his face growing red, Brand clears his throat and keeps his voice calm. “You always have to have the last word, don’t you pretty boy?” 

A knock at the door signals it’s time to leave. Addam straightens up and stretches his arms out, and then he yelps when Brand forcibly grabs his tie and drags him down into a kiss. He’s not sure he will ever get used to the feeling of fire against his lips whenever Brand takes control. His hands find Brand’s shoulder and Addam’s going to push him back, maybe against a wall, when Rune clears his throat. 

“Right,” Addam says. He runs a hand through his hair and exhales. “Later.”

Brand reaches up gently tugs a strand of Addam’s perfect hair loose from his ponytail, letting it fall against Addam’s cheek. “You can count on it,” he promises. 

Addam leads Rune and Brand down a corridor with paintings decorating the walls and then towards a set of doors that open up into the ballroom where Quinn’s party was being held. 

Normally the ballroom would be empty with chairs and benches along the sides of the room in an orderly fashion. Tonight, however, buffet tables take up the space and both familiar and unfamiliar faces fill the room with chatter. A live string quartet plays in the corner on risers so that the sound carries over the conversation. Near the quartet, a space has been made clear for dancers to claim, and closer to the food-tables is a place for people to sit. 

Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, illuminating smiles and giving just the right amount of lighting for pictures to be taken. He can see Quinn talking to a group of acquaintances, his best friend Max to his left and a grin on his face. The physical representation of Addam’s successful party planning has him breathing out a sigh of relief. Quinn is having a good time. Rune and Brand are his real boyfriends. Everything is _perfect_. 

Quinn catches his eye and waves. Addam waves back, noting how Quinn’s grin grows as he and Max make their way over to Addam, Rune, and Brand. He also notices the matching suits Quinn and Max are wearing. He coos. They are both wearing white suits with matching purple lilacs on their lapels. A hint of pink accents Max’s cufflinks, but he looks like he would rather wear something that was not a suit, and Quinn’s cuff links are in the shape of scales. 

“You made it!” Quinn exclaims with wide eyes. Then he squints, looking over Addam and his boyfriends, then he lights up once more. “Oh good! When your cufflinks are gold, Max never gets upset when I hold his hand.” He then takes up Max’s hand without a second thought. 

Addam sees the blush rising on Max’s face before he looks away, muttering something. 

_Adorable_. 

Max’s reaction almost reminds Addam of Brand. He quickly discards that thought, chuckling softly. Brand would kill him if he knew what he was thinking. “I hope you two are enjoying the party.” 

“And I hope you plan on telling us why you haven’t called,” Brand pointedly looks at Max as he speaks. “But that can wait for later.” 

Quinn leans over and whispers something to Max, who snorts. Then Max says, “I will.” 

“When are you giving the toast?” Quinn changes the subject. “Something big is supposed to happen after it,” he explains. 

“When do you want me to give the toast?” 

Quinn shrugs, then glances at Max, then back at Addam. “After Max and I dance, please?” He gives Addam soft pleading eyes as if Addam wasn’t going to say yes in the first place. 

“Have fun,” he answers with a nod. Then he watches as the two of them walk off. 

The next twenty minutes are spent with Rune and Brand by the buffet tables. “Here, try this,” Addam offers a rare sweet to Rune.

Rune gags at the sweet, shaking his head. “That’s disgusting. 

“How bad does it have to be for Rune to dislike it?” Brand inquires before he’s taking the sweet out of Addam’s hand. He also struggles to swallow it before he shakes his head. “What is that!” 

“Quinn’s favorite sweets imported for Japan,” Addam says. “It’s called a-”

“No, we don’t want to hear it. Instead let’s try that.” Rune squeezes between Addam and Brand and grabs a small sandwich cut up into a triangle shape. “This isn’t some overtly sweet meat or anything is it?” 

Addam shakes his head. “No. Just your regular ham and cheese finger food.” He reaches around Rune and takes a sandwich off of the table. “Would you like one, Brand?” He holds the sandwich out for Brand. 

Brand stares at him, then a devilish smirk crosses his lips. He grabs Addam’s hand and brings it closer, then he eats the sandwich right out of Addam’s hand, looking at him with mischief. He licks the tip of Addam’s finger before he pulls away, chewing the bite he took and nodding his approval.

Addam swallows anything he wants to say because they are in public. He looks at Rune, whose smile is over the moon at this moment. Oh they were toying with him on purpose. “You two are planning something,” he accuses under his breath. 

“Who, us?” Rune asks innocently. 

“We would never,” Brand says. 

He wants to ask, but a waitress comes over to him and informs it is time for the toast. “I’ll be right there,” he tells her, and then he looks back at Rune and Brand, who have begun to stand up from their chairs. “We will finish this later, I trust?” He asks with a purr. 

“We might,” Brand replies in equal measure. He reaches for Rune, “Come one, let’s make ourselves busy while our boyfriend does his thing.” 

Addam is sure his heart is going to flutter every time the two of them call him their boyfriend. He excuses himself, giving both Rune and Brand pecks on the cheeks before he moves to the center of the room. He gently taps a spoon against a glass, signaling for the quartet to cease playing and for the chatter to stop around him. “Thank you everyone for coming here on this momentous occasion. Tonight my brother becomes a man.” He takes a step to the side and reveals Quinn. Applause fills the air and Addam waits for it to die down before he continues. “I was given the honor of being your host and I hope I have met your expectations.” He throws a glance towards his mother. 

Lady Justice gives him a nod. Addam smiles. “Tonight let us enjoy music and celebrate Quinn Saint Nicholas.” He ends his speech there knowing that if he were to go on, he would ramble about Quinn for hours. He could do that another night. Addam turns from the crowd and pulls Quinn into a hug. “Happy birthday, malen'kiy providets.” 

Quinn wrinkles his nose at him, but he smiles. “Not so little anymore now am I?” 

“No, but you’ll always be that to me.” Addam ruffles Quinn’s hair. “Go enjoy your time with Max.” He gives him a light pat on the shoulder and then turns to find his boyfriends. 

He finds Rune and Brand dancing together, soft words passing between them. Addam observes them for a minute, admiring all their progress in just a few short weeks. He wonders if they would let him teach them other dances. More intimate dances. With that thought in mind, he confidently taps Brand on the shoulder, clearing his throat, “May I step in?”

“No, I had him first.” Brand tosses the words over his shoulder as he spins Rune around slightly.

“I guess if I must go find someone else to dance with,” Addam laments. He does not even attempt to walk away, however, and stands there until Brand finally hands Rune over. Addam winks, “I’ll keep him safe, handsome.”

“You better. I’m going to go eat all of Max’s food when he’s not looking,” Brand says. Right before he walks off, he kisses Rune on the lips. “Step on his toes for me, okay?” 

“Stop reading my mind,” Rune whines. Then he looks at Addam, “You heard him, I have to step on your toes now.” 

“That’s not proper etiquette,” Addam points out. He takes Rune’s right hand in his left and rests his free hand on Rune’s shoulder blade. Then he mentally counts the steps in his head before he pushes his left leg forward. “It seems I need to teach you two how to dance again.”

Rune’s eyes twinkle when he flashes his teeth in a smile. “We actually enjoyed dancing with you. How about this, I won’t step on your toes, but I will tell you what we were going to do earlier.” 

Addam leads Rune in a turn, humming along to the soft tune the quartet is playing. “I am all ears, Hero.”

The two follow the three-step rhythm of the waltz, mimicking the rise and fall of the beat. As the string quartet swells into their first crescendo, Addam takes in Rune’s appearance. He’s truly a sight to behold in his suit, Addam thinks. When he really tries to impress people, it works, and Addam takes great joy in knowing that Rune wants to impress him. Him and Brand. 

“Brand and I were thinking about whisking you away after all of this. Have you all to ourselves.” As he speaks, Rune raises his eyebrows in suggestion. Then he adds, “Well, not me. Brand. I would be uh… There. And doing things.”

“I would never make you do anything you don’t want to,” Addam reassures. “Just you being here in front of me is enough, Hero. Anything else, sensual or not, is a bonus.” He pulls Rune closer, then moves a hand down to Rune’s lower back, keeping eye contact just in case Rune wants him to stop. Then he leans his weight on Rune and dips him, slowly performing a sweeping motion.

“Is that clear?” 

Rune stares at him, cheeks flushing red and pupils dilating. “Crystal,” Rune says breathlessly. 

Addam beams at him, then lifts Rune from the dip and lets him go, kissing his hand. Then Addam looks around the room, searching for Brand so he can offer him a dance too. His eyes land on Lord Tower, who stands off to the side of the room staring right at him and Rune. Addam smiles at him, taking in the sight of Lord Tower in a dark black tux with a dark green tie. Next to him stands Mayan, his Companion and Addam’s other godfather, wearing an extremely dark green tux with a black tie. The subtle intention behind the coordination is gorgeous. 

Lord Tower gives Addam a nod of approval. Addam can’t see the Tower’s eyes from this far away, but he swears he can feel the pride and admiration coming from his direction. 

He looks back at Rune. “Where’s our Brand?” 

Rune points to where Max and Quinn are, “Still over there.” He slides his arm around Addam’s. “He really likes it when you call him ours.”

“I am starting to think I need to pull these confessions out of him,” Addam muses. “How shall I go about doing that?” 

“Not here,” Rune says. “I think he plans to show you.”

They two of them meet up with Brand, Quinn, and Max at a table in the far corner of the ballroom. Max and Quinn are in the middle of telling Brand some story about an ex-classmate of theirs. Addam instantly notices that the two of them are still holding hands. “We should get a picture of the two of them before the night ends,” he tells Rune in a quiet voice. 

Rune agrees. “Brand has the better camera, we can convince him.” 

“What are you two scheming?” 

The two of them look at Brand and smile. “Rune was just telling me that you have something you would like to show me,” Addam answers. Mild surprise fills him when Brand’s face turns two shades of red. 

“He’s being impatient,” Brand accuses over the two overtly-curious looks Quinn and Max are giving him. He looks at Addam and smiles, eyes twinkling with something that sets Addam’s skin on fire. “You must be dying to know.” 

Addam nods. He opens his mouth to speak but closes it when Brand continues. 

“You’ll have to wait until this is over.” Brand gestures to the rest of the party. It would seem casual if not for the fact that he licks his lips, eyes moving up and down Addam like he was prize. 

He thinks he knows what Rune and Brand are up to. 

“Sometimes you leave during the main event,” Quinn chirps from where he sits. His hand is hovering over a sandwich. At Addam’s look of confusion, Quinn continues, “I told you that Ciaran steals the show, remember?”

Honestly, Addam had forgotten. “The main event was your toast, and I have yet to see Ciaran arrive. Perhaps this was one of the times he does not show up,” he offers. 

Quinn thinks for a moment before he shakes his head. He does not elaborate on anything until he gestures to the doors to the ballroom opening, “It’s not,” is all he says. 

Ciaran, to no one’s surprise, walks in with a flourish, hands held out as if making a grand entrance. His suit is a very light blue with a glittering floral pattern consisting of orchids and dahlias: fashionable and so very like Ciaran. His hair is swept to one side, accenting the pearl earring in his right ear. His lipstick is purple and just as glittery as his eyeshadow. 

“Sorry I arrived late,” Ciaran speaks softly but his voice carries through the room because everyone, like they always did when Ciaran made an appearance, has been quiet for the past three seconds. “I was helping my plus one prepare for his societal debut.” 

When Ciaran steps to the side, a collective gasp sounds throughout the ballroom. 

An extremely tall blond follows in after Ciaran wearing a long silver dress with a slit starting at his right hip and lacy sleeves stopping just before his wrists. Towards the end of his dress is a purple spark of magic inside a circle. In his hair he wears flowers that glitter and shine, the light from the chandeliers bouncing off of his hair ornaments. The famous Atlantean model who was notorious for rejecting the advances of many men: Kellum Greenwater. 

Kellum locks his arm with Ciaran’s. He turns his eyes on the crowd, “He’s been practicing that line for hours.” His face scrunches up as he complains about Ciaran, but Addam can hear the hint of endearment in his voice. 

Then cameramen and the press appear from nowhere as if crawling out of the woodwork. 

“We’ve only just arrived,” Ciaran juts out his lip in a pout, staring at the cameras as if he was always center-stage. “Can you not spare us a moment to ourselves?” As he talks, Ciaran pulls Kellum further into the room with him, the paparazzi moving out of his way silently. 

“Can you blame them?” Kellum’s eyes drift around the room. “You are the most handsome one here.” 

“Careful now, we’re not here to steal the show,” Ciaran replies easily. His eyes land on Addam’s and he gives him a wink. 

“Now is usually when you take your leave.” Quinn draws Addam’s attention back to him. “They bombard Ciaran with questions and he usually avoids anything pertaining to relationship status, instead focusing on his new side hobby.” 

“What’s his new side hobby?” Rune asks, eyes still on Ciaran and Kellum as reporters hound the two of them. 

Quinn grins, “Fashion design! Kellum models for him.”

That’s not too surprising. “Perhaps I can talk to him about tailoring suits from now on,” Addam says out loud, putting a hand to his chin. “We could become business partners, maybe…” He trails off, muttering plans to himself. 

“Oh no!” Brand grabs Addam’s hand away from his chin. “You heard Quinn, we usually take our leave. So we are going to leave.” He gives Rune a look. “Tell him we’re leaving.” 

“And with that, we’re leaving too,” Max raises his voice over Brand and stands up, taking Quinn’s hand. “A dance, yes?” 

If it were possible to watch Quinn melt into his seat, Addam thinks it would have happened. He stands up and leans over to Addam, whispering, “Sometimes he trips into my arms, it’s the cutest thing. Don’t worry, Ciaran will get a picture, go have fun.” Then he follows after Max. 

Addam lets out a soft noise, happy for his brother and his crush. “Okay, I suppose I can allow my two handsome boyfriends to whisk me away into the night,” he sighs dramatically. “And they say romance is dead.” 

“It won’t be dead for long,” Rune counters, a glint in his eyes. “We’ve been planning this night for the past few days.”

“Have you now?” Excitement runs through Addam as he looks at the two of them. 

Brand grabs Addam’s left hand and Rune grabs his other. “Stop asking questions and you’ll find out.” His voice deepens and Addam shudders. 

“Well then,” he says. “Lead the way.”


	7. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our lovebirds have some alone time  
> THIS CHAPTER IS NSFW / EXPLICIT.  
> Smut tags: Smut, Safe Sex, Anal Sex, Blowjobs, Biting, Dirty Talk

The three of them retreat back down the corridor they previously came through to enter the ballroom. The moment they pass the door's threshold, the atmosphere changes from simple enjoyment to giddy. It’s darker now, windows allowing bits of moonlight to introduce itself to the dimly lit hallway. No longer does the sound of chatter and string cadences follow them as they make their way to Addam’s room. 

“I feel like I’m sneaking out of the house for the first time,” Addam laughs. “Only this time we’re going to my room.” 

“If we were sneaking, we would be caught by now,” Brand replies. Addam can feel excitement radiating off of him. It’s a lovely feeling, knowing that Brand is looking forward to something that involves _Addam_. “We are using that party to our advantage, though.” 

No doubts about what the three of them are going to do linger in the air when Rune pushes Addam’s room door open carefully. Addam’s room looks just like his condo does with forest green carpeting and dark red walls. White curtains cover the window, a desk and two chairs sit in the corner along with a dresser with a TV on it. A big bed takes up the middle of the room. Off to the side is a folding dress screen. 

Rune snorts. “What is this, a hotel?”

“I usually do not stay in this room,” admits Addam. “Tonight this room was made available for me only because I knew you and Brand would be staying on the estate too. Though I also intended to sneak into your room…” He trails off with a shrug. 

Both Brand and Rune stare at him before they burst out into a simultaneous laugh. “You honestly think we weren’t going to sneak in here and cuddle you on this enormous bed?” Rune shakes his head, moving over to Addam’s dresser and opening it, pulling out the first long nightshirt he sees. “As I said, we’ve been planning this for days.” He moves behind the folding screen and Addam can see his silhouette as he undresses. 

“Don’t look at Rune,” Brand says. When Addam looks at him, Brand is undoing his tie and unbuttoning his suit top. In a fluid motion, Brand also pushes his shoes off. “Sit on the bed.”

Addam does as he’s told, watching as Brand makes quick work of his clothing. “Shouldn’t I be undressing too?”

Brand snorts and shakes his head. “Wouldn’t you rather me do that?” As he asks the question, Brand unzips his pants and maintains eye contact with Addam as he reveals black boxers. “You just sit there and look pretty.” Then Brand adds, “Spread your legs.” 

His authoritative tone makes Addam twitch in his pants. He spreads his legs, trailing his eyes down Brand’s body as he undresses. Addam can see light scars covering Brand’s arms and chest and little indents where a harness once pressed against his skin for hours. Addam licks his lips, wondering when the last time Brand wore a harness was. “Do you want me to just enjoy the show?” 

He hears Rune snort loudly from behind the folding screen. “He’s thinking about ways to shut you up,” Rune calls. Then he steps out from where he was changing and Addam makes the mistake of looking over. His cock twitches once more at the sight of Rune in nothing but his own night-shirt and a pair of boxers. His shirt is too long on Rune and hangs off his shoulders. 

“Did I say you could look away?” Brand’s closer now, settling with his legs over Addam’s thighs, effectively straddling him in place. He takes Addam’s chin and forces Addam to look at him. “Rune knows he’s hot, don’t boost his ego.”

“Maybe he can boost it a little,” Rune says. “As a treat.” 

Brand snorts and gives Addam a look that reads something like ‘ _That is our boyfriend_.’ Then he leans down and kisses Addam, licking at his bottom lip. “Tell us your limits Addam,” he requests. “Let me show you how we appreciate you. My appreciation for how you handle Rune; Rune’s appreciation for how you handle me.” His words are soft, gentle, and Addam could melt against Brand’s lips if Brand would let him. 

Addam takes Brand’s hands and lowers them, guiding them to his waist and looking back up at Brand’s lovely blue eyes. “You can do anything to me and I will not complain,” he answers honestly. 

“Even touch your hair?” Brand asks. “Do not say ‘anything,’ or else I might bite you.” 

The idea of Brand biting him is alluring. “I would like that,” Addam admits. “Yes you can touch my hair; it is very sensitive and I do not like people touching it in public because it causes…certain reactions.” 

Brand nods, then frees one hand from Addam’s grasp and caresses Addam’s cheek. “ Can I test that?” He feels Addam shudder beneath him. 

“Yes,” Addam breathes. 

Then Brand slides his hand up through Addam’s hair and with a hum, he tightens his grasp and fists Addam’s hair, forcing Addam to lean his head back, and watches as Addam lets out a silent whine. “I like that reaction,” Brand purrs. “You’re hard from just that alone,” he points out. “This is going to go well, don’t you agree Rune?” 

“Wait, Rune.” Addam snaps his head in Rune’s direction. “Will you be okay? Do you need to go into another room-”

“I’m fine,” Rune assures. Then he crawls onto the bed and moves so he is sitting against the headboard, watching both Addam and Brand. “This part was my idea. I am going to help Brand show you how much we appreciate you.”

Addam relaxes. “Oh good. You’ll tell me if you get uncomfortable, right?”

Brand can feel Rune’s desire through the bond, can feel the intense urge to get on with the show. He chuckles at the thought. “He’ll tell us. Or else,” he gives Rune a look. “Isn’t that right?” 

“I will.” Rune stretches his legs out where he sits. “Now get on with it, I want to hear more of those reactions.”

Was it possible to re-fall in love with someone? Addam decides it won’t be hard to find out. He turns back to Brand. “Are you going to tell me your limits?” 

“You won’t reach them,” Brand says, voice matter-of-fact. “I don’t like being bound or blindfolded and if you try to gag me with anything that’s not your cock, I _will_ fight back.” He gestures to Rune. “Tell our boyfriend what you’re willing to do so he stops giving me this concerned look.”

“He’s just eager for you.” Rune leers with a smile. “I want to hold you while Brand makes love to you,” he explains. “I want to kiss you and-” he flushes as he stops himself. “I feel what Brand feels, so don’t worry about my pleasure, I will verbalize it.”

 _Yes_ , it is _very possible_ to re-fall in love with someone. With two someones, to be specific. Addam groans. “Please get me out of these clothes.”

“With pleasure,” Brand growls. Then he starts on Addam’s suit, sliding the buttons out of place with ease. 

“Do you have lube?” Rune asks curiously, pulling Addam’s attention away from Brand.

“In the dresser, second drawer on the left,” Brand answers. “I went through the room earlier.” He does not mention how much earlier. 

“Always prepared,” Rune replies, grateful for Brand. He gets off the bed and crosses the room, calling over his shoulder. “Condoms?” 

“Same drawer,” Addam replies. He grins at Brand, who arches an eyebrow at him. “Always prepared, but predictable.” 

“I’ll show you predictable,” Brand hisses. Then he rolls his hips. 

Addam groans at the friction, hands moving to rest at Brand’s sides. “Is your goal to tease me the entire night?” 

“Not tonight, but that thought is nice.” Brand takes the lube and condom out of Rune’s hands. He presses a kiss to Addam’s lips. “You are going to lay your head in Rune’s lap and I am going to make you squirm.” He gently pats Addam’s cheek before he makes a show of sliding down, rubbing his body hard against Addam’s before he settles on his knees between Addam’s legs, hands reaching for Addam’s zipper. He looks up at Addam, expectation on his face as he waits for Addam to do what he just told him to do. 

Rune sits against the headboard once more, grabbing for Addam and dragging him so his head lays against Rune’s chest instead. He looks down at him, tilting Addam’s head back so he can kiss him. “You relaxed?” He kisses Addam once more, swallowing a confirming sigh of comfort. Rune runs a free hand over Addam’s chest, murmuring against his lips, “We love you, Addam. Brand’s been wanting to get his hands on you all night and I’ve been wanting to see you like this for so long.”

Addam’s chest burns at Rune’s words. He feels nothing but devotion for the two men who are pampering him. He reaches an arm up and wraps it around Rune’s neck, deepening the kiss. He licks at Rune’s bottom lip, asking permission and groaning when Rune’s tongue meets his. Distantly, he can feel Brand slowly pulling his pants down, maneuvering him so that it was easier to lift his legs. 

Rune smiles against his lips, and it’s on the tip of Addam’s tongue to say something but any words he might have formed get smothered by another kiss. He’s almost distracted enough to miss Brand’s movements. He breaks away to gasp when Brand’s hands settle on his chest and he’s treated to the sight of Brand leaning over to kiss Rune. A soft moan must have escaped his lips because a moment later Rune’s hand is carding through his hair, tugging gently and Brand’s are caressing down his chest. “Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about you.” Brand purrs. The quick look he shares with Rune has a shiver of anticipation running through Addam. _What could they be planning?_

Brand leans down, barely pressing his lips against Addam’s, then the side of his lips, and then he begins to trail kisses from Addam’s chin to his throat, and lower until he reaches Addam’s nipples. Experimentally, he laps out with his tongue, drawing a soft mewl from Addam’s throat. He glances up, eyes meeting Rune’s while Addam’s head falls back against Rune’s shoulder. 

Brand smirks. He flicks his tongue once more, earning the same noise from Addam. He ghosts his fingers across Addam’s chest, one hand going to his other nipple and gently pinching the soft nub.

Addam arches up into Brand’s touch, a breathy moan flowing from his lips. Through his lashes he catches Brand’s eyes, dark with desire and playful. “You’re really gorgeous like this.” Rune tells him softly and Addam knows he’s relaying both of their feelings. 

“You’re good with this?” Addam asks again and he gets a smile back before Rune’s lips cover his again, more demanding this time. A flood of flames against steel, consuming. Addam thinks about melting again, only this time with Rune. Perhaps that's the true nature of the Sun Court: passion strong enough to rival a solar flare.

“Yes.” Rune’s answer is breathless and there’s a sparkle in his eyes as he adds, “You like to hear me talk, don’t you?” 

Thoughts swirling with fire, Addam barely forms the words before they spill from his mouth. “I could listen to heat drip from your mouth for days.” 

Rune's eyes glow brighter at the compliment. "Maybe not tonight." He pushes Addam forward slightly and lightly kisses Addam’s throat. “Lift your hips.” 

Addam does so, leaning back into Rune and letting out a sigh. His eyes find Brand, who's watching him and Rune with devotion. Tonight, Addam might die from looks alone. He swallows dryly and asks, “Like what you see?” A light enough tease to urge Brand on with whatever scheme he’s got in his head. 

“Very much,” Brand says. “You look gorgeous,” he praises, pulling one of Addam’s legs forward and kissing his knee. Then he looks at Rune, a silent question passing between the two of them before Brand looks back at Addam. He keeps eye contact when he uncaps the lube and coats his fingers with it. “You’d look better without that composure.” 

As Brand speaks, Rune’s arms wrap around Addam and he caresses both of Addam’s nipples. “He wants to see you writhing,” he purrs. His breath hot against Addam, he kisses the shell of Addam’s ear, “ _I_ want to see you come undone.” 

Addam turns his head as a gasp escapes him, panting from the sensation of Rune and Brand surrounding him. It’s as if the two of them are trying to set him on fire. 

Rune runs his hands over Addam's chest, occasionally caressing a nipple and whispering soft praise in his ear. Brand pushes a finger against him and Addam grunts, leaning back into Rune and resting his head on Rune’s shoulder. 

The sight makes Brand smile, watching Addam come undone at such simple touches. He and Rune will have no problems turning Addam into putty. With that in mind, Brand grabs at Addam's cock with his free hand, giving it a light tug. 

Brand watches Addam's dick twitch in his hand. Having this much control over Addam's pleasure thrills him. It fills his and Rune's Companion bond and Brand can't help himself when he pushes his thumb against Addam's head, dragging a needy noise from Addam. 

"You're lovely." Brand hears Rune say as he pushes a second finger inside Addam. He can feel Addam tense and relax in the same second, replying to Rune with a light strain in his voice. “That’s it, focus on me,” Rune continues to direct Addam. 

“You have all my attention,” Addam says with a grunt.

Brand arches an eyebrow at that, “Does he now?” When Addam doesn’t respond, Brand’s lips curl evilly. He meets Rune’s eyes, taking in the way Rune subtly nods as he praises Addam, turning his head to capture Addam’s lips in a gentle kiss. Brand chuckles, then lowers himself eye level with Addam’s cock.

He slowly works his hand up and down, admiring the way Addam’s cock twitches in his hand. As he watches drops of precome ooze onto his fingers, Brand decides that, sometime in the near future, he wants to see how long he can edge Addam before release. _Later_ , he tells himself. 

He leans forward and runs his tongue along Addam’s erection, grinning in triumph when Addam jolts under him, a hand finding Brand’s hair. As fingers push against his hair, Brand takes Addam in his mouth, sucking gently before he pulls back, lapping at the slit. “That’ll show you attention.” He licks his way back down Addam’s cock, listening as Addam’s breath hitches above him. 

“He’s cheating,” Addam moans, rolling his hips, demanding more. 

Rune hums in response. “If you can still talk, Brand’s not doing his job.” His words are light, earnest, and the spark of challenge that shoots through the Companion bond is not lost to Brand. 

Brand takes to it with fervor, sliding his tongue up before he swallows Addam’s cock once more, taking him in a little further than the first time. He moans at the feeling of his mouth made full and imagines what it will be like when he takes Addam deeper. 

Rune’s words linger in Addam’s mind, filling him with need. He grips Brand’s hair, gently rolling his hips forward to push further in Brand’s mouth, groaning loudly. As a third finger enters him, Addam seeks out Rune’s mouth, missing it completely and gasping against Rune’s chin. 

_They are burning me alive,_ Addam thinks. He looks down to watch Brand, takes in the sight of his boyfriend. Brand is gorgeous. An all consuming fire storm. Permafrost eyes meet his, burning hotter than humanly possible, and Brand grazes his teeth slowly along Addam’s shaft. A gutteral noise escapes him and he thinks, just for a moment, that he’s never been happier to die than at the hands of someone he loves. 

Arousal spikes through the Companion bond, making Brand shiver when he realizes he’s feeling _Rune_ and not himself. He allows Addam to slip from his mouth and moans quietly, reveling in Rune’s emotions and delighting in the fact that Rune is this way because of him and Addam. “You like that?” He asks. He does not specify who he’s asking. 

Rune pulls away and Addam tilts his head back so he can see what Rune is doing. Red covers his face, his lips are swollen from distracting kisses, and his eyes are clouded with desire. He looks at both Addam and Brand, breath coming out in puffs as he pouts, "Who said you could stop?" 

Brand's eyes dilate at Rune's words, and he lets out a breath before he leans down and kisses Addam hard on the lips. He pulls away just as fast, retracting his fingers from inside Addam and tumbling off the bed gracelessly as he finally removes his boxers. He ignores the loud protest Addam gives him, thumbling with the condom wrapper before he rolls it onto himself. 

"What's the rush?" Rune asks in a sultry voice, a hand running up Addam's arms as he watches Brand. 

" _You_ ," Brand growls. He can't explain in words how Rune affects him, so he crawls back onto the bed and pushes a hand against Addam's chest, pressing him down on top of Rune before he leans over him, capturing Rune's lips with his own. 

Watching Brand and Rune kiss is just as intimate as kissing either one of them, and Addam licks his lips. Then he lifts himself and kisses against Brand’s Addam’s apple, feeling the way Brand’s throat vibrates with a groan. “Now look who's ignoring me,” he teases. 

“Shut up,” Brand tells Addam as he pulls away from Rune. Then he dips his head and kisses Addam, biting his lower lip, swallowing the filthy noise Addam rewards him with. He pulls away with a tug, lowering himself and sucking on the soft spot where Addam’s neck meets his shoulder. He feels Addam lull his neck to the side and relishes the way Addam squirms under him. 

Brand pulls himself away from Addam and Rune with a huff, knowing that what awaits will be sweeter. Still he mentally protests and has to stop himself from going back in for another kiss. He takes a moment to observe Addam and Rune as he uncaps the lube once more and pours some into his hand. One of Rune’s hands plays with Addam’s nipple, the other holds his chin back; one of Addam’s hands holds the back of Rune’s head and the other strokes his own cock. Their bodies flush with heat and passion, Brand thinks they make a beautiful painting. 

Brand slicks himself with lube, chest rumbling as impatience fills the Companion bond. 

“Come on Brand,” Rune urges, breaking his kiss with Addam and looking at Brand with stormy eyes that could start wars. “Make Addam _ours_.” 

Addam was already theirs, but he still shudders when Rune addresses Brand. He feels both a sense of belonging and a sense of possession. His men were claiming him as theirs. The thought provides him with images he hopes to enact one day. 

He looks at Brand just as Brand lines his cock against his entrance. “Yes, _Brandon_ ,” he purrs Brand’s name like an imp looking for trouble. “ _Make me yours_.” 

“ _Don’t_ call me Brandon,” Brand snarls. He grabs Addam’s hips roughly and yanks him closer- Addam barely registers the movement until his head is suddenly on Rune’s stomach instead of his chest- and Brand pushes into him. “My boyfriends call me Brand. Say it one more time and I’ll have Rune gag you.”

The burning sensation within him is not enough to fight against the thrilled chills Brand’s threat gives him. Addam grunts, taking in Brand’s girth and letting his mind race with all sorts of things Rune could gag him with. He idly wishes Rune still had his tie from earlier. _A shame_. _Next time_. He focuses back on Brand and shifts his hips. 

“Look at him, Rune,” Brand starts. He’s eyeing Addam like he’s a dessert on the table. His hands run over Addam’s hips, caressing them, then slide up his sides and over his chest, then back down again. “Pretty and at our mercy.”

Rune moves to get more comfortable and Addam can feel his reaction. Rune’s erection pushes against Addam and suddenly Addam feels like he’s being spoiled. Rune, who could leave the room at any time, chooses to stay and hold him while Brand claims him thoroughly. Addam’s two boyfriends were perfect for each other and for him and the revelation overwhelms him. 

“Brand,” Addam whines, voice full of need. “Fuck me.” 

Brand looks at Rune, silently making sure Rune is okay. They’ve come this far already, but he needs to be sure Rune is okay with this. Needs to make sure his Scion was comfortable and still readily participating even if he wasn’t the one being penetrated. 

Rune smiles at him. The Companion bond ignites with their mutual feelings, both aware that the other wants this. Both of them crave _this_. Rune mouths the words, ‘ _I’m okay_ ,’ and Brand blows a kiss to him. 

Then Brand rocks into Addam, fluidly leaning over his body to kiss Rune. As he kisses Rune and listens to the mewls coming from Addam, Brand thinks the words, ‘ _I love them_.’

 _I love them and I am going to love them for a very long time._ The fact plants itself deep inside him and grows into a drawn-out sigh. Brand loves kissing Rune. He loves rolling his hips into Addam and listening to Addam produce moans. He loves dancing with them and going out for coffee; loves the banter and the flirting; he loves _them_. 

With Brand’s lips on his, Rune runs a hand through Addam’s hair. Addam’s hair is always so soft, so inviting. Pullable. Rune threads Addam’s hair through his fingers and tugs lightly, gentle enough to drag the sharp mewl out of Addam. 

Addam’s hands come up, gripping at Brand’s shoulders, digging his nails deep into Brand’s skin. He moans from both the sensation of his hair being pulled and Brand’s cock inside him. A string of Russian curses flows through his mouth as he tries to meet Brand’s thrusts. “Slozhneye pozhaluysta,” he pleads. He _needs_ more.

“The only thing you should be saying is my name,” Brand rasps, teasingly pulling all the way out of Addam. “Got it, lover boy?” 

Addam almost responds with something cheeky but all that comes out is a weak protest, wiggling his hips to entice Brand to return to him. “Brand,” he breathes out Brand’s name as if that’s the only answer he can give. It’s the only answer he was told to give. 

With his free hand, Rune reaches out and grasps Brand’s right hand. Brand winks at him, then he gives Addam a dangerous smirk. “Good boy,” he praises. And he slams into Addam with force, the bed rocking under the three of them and Addam crying out with pleasure. 

The Companion bond goes wild with Brand’s pleasure and Rune bites his lip. He keeps his focus on holding Brand’s hand and gripping Addam’s hair, but his stomach pools with warmth. It’s not a foreign feeling, nor is it unwelcome. Albeit embarrassing, Rune concentrates on the fact that he is here with his boyfriends. With two men he feels completely safe with. 

He bites his lip, squirming where he sits with Addam’s head on his stomach. A breath escapes him as he closes his eyes, willing himself to calm down. Brand’s pleasure felt good, an echo of Addam’s own pleasure. Rune basks in it, breath quickening as his surroundings occupy his mind. 

Addam’s moaning, Brand’s grunting, the room is warm with their body heat and smells of sex. It’s too much, but not enough to upset him. Rune groans loudly, opening his eyes and watching as Brand’s cock thrusts in and out of Addam, watching as Addam’s chest rises and falls. His two men are a masterpiece. 

“Hurry up, Brand,” Rune grinds out. 

Brand sneers at Rune, but he positions himself differently and snaps his hips. 

Addam’s voice pitches higher than they’ve ever heard it before as Brand hits his prostate, and Addam shudders violently. His body rocks upward, cock twitching as an orgasm hits. His hands claw down Brand’s back, leaving marks that would fade within the hour. 

Slowing his pace, Brand watches as Addam comes, cum spurting out onto his chest. Brand licks his lips, trembling at the sight. Bringing Addam off is now one of Brand’s top favorite things to do, he decides. He gently thrusts forward, letting Addam ride out his high. He can feel Addam clenching around him and the feeling is enough to send him over the edge as well. 

He moans out someone’s name- Rune’s or Addam’s, Brand is not sure- and for a second his vision goes white. He groans loudly when he has to pull out of Addam, mentally wishing he hadn’t worn a condom so he could watch-

Another time, he tells himself. Before he allows himself to admire how well-fucked Addam is, Brand looks at Rune. He swallows, wanting nothing more than to crawl over Addam and kiss Rune to an orgasm. But he knows better. “Do you need to leave the room?” He asks, fully intending to drag Addam off of Rune if he needs to. 

Rune swallows, trying not to feel too much embarrassment as he nods. “Just for a moment.” His voice comes out as a soft squeak. He hates how he sounds. Why did it feel good in the moment but not good afterward? 

“Hero.” Addam’s voice pulls Rune from his thoughts. Addam takes Rune’s hand and brings his fingers to his lips, “It is okay. Neither of us blame you for this, so please do not beat yourself up about it.” When Rune hesitates, Addam gently moves off of him and makes sure to meet Rune’s eyes. “Hero, it’s good to know your limits. Take your moment; we’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready.”

Rune blinks back tears he didn’t even know were threatening to show up and looks from Addam to Brand. He opens his mouth, then closes it, and nods. He can feel Brand’s warming reassurance through the bond, like a small candle inside the invisible connection. “Okay,” he whispers between the three of them, afraid to break a moment that was impossible to break. 

When Rune gets off the bed, Brand takes his hand and pulls him close for a kiss. “I love you,” Brand says. The metaphorical candle in the Companion bond morphs into a bonfire, crackling with a raw love to last ages. “I’m proud of you,” he adds. 

Glassy eyes stare back at Brand. Then Rune sniffs, wiping at his nose, “Thanks,” he says lamely, unable to express to Brand how much those words meant to him. Then Rune makes his exit, accomplishment replacing his own embarrassment: not once during the act did he want to run away. For a first time- first of many, hopefully- since his assault, Rune thinks things went okay. _Baby steps_ , he thinks to himself with a smile. 

“You love him but not me,” Addam pouts. There’s no real envy in his voice, but he reaches for Brand and demands a kiss all the same. “That’s unfair, my shield.” 

Brand rolls his eyes. “Told you you couldn’t handle dating me,” he chides quietly. He bends down and caresses Addam’s cheek, kissing him chastely before pulling away. Resting his forehead against Addam, he says, “Though maybe I should say, you can’t handle dating us if you get jealous easily. One day I might just only pay attention to Rune.” 

“I see no problem with that.” Addam beams up at Brand. “Rune deserves all the attention. Maybe we can make a bet and see who pampers him more.” His burgundy eyes glint with challenge and determination. 

“I will win,” Brand says immediately. He presses another quick kiss to Addam’s lips before he starts cleaning the two of them up. “Rune will be putty in my hands before you even walk through the bedroom door one morning, I’m calling it now.”

He watches Brand correctly dispose of the condom and rummage through the dresser drawers before he pulls out two pairs of shirts. “Do my clothes belong to you and Rune now?” Addam asks with a soft laugh. _Not that he minds in the slightest._

“It’s part of the boyfriend deal,” Brand replies. He holds up the shirts for Addam to decide. When Addam points to the red one, Brand tosses it to him. “What’s yours is ours; what’s ours is yours- something like that.” He puts on one of Addam’s nightshirts. 

A low whistle escapes Addam. “Come here,” he says. 

Brand crawls back onto the bed and lets Addam pull him down. “I love you too, you know,” he says as if he needs to clarify. He wishes he had a bond with Addam because it would make things easier. He would be able to let Addam _feel_ how he felt for him. 

“I know,” Addam says. “And you don’t have to tell me just because you told Rune you love him.” He kisses Brand’s temple. “Your love language is one of protection and loyalty, focusing on my pleasure before your own, and whether you like it or not, you’re a romantic softie.” He doesn’t need to see Brand’s face to feel Brand grow hotter at his words. “My Brand, I know you love me whether you say the words out loud or not.”

 _He’s in love with Addam_. Brand could say the words, knows how to say the words, but he doesn’t need to and that makes him love Addam more. He rolls onto his side, hovering over Addam and looks down at him, grinning. “Don’t tell anyone outside of this room that or you’ll ruin my reputation, scales.” 

Rune stands in the doorway, watching his Companion and their boyfriend with a wide grin on his face. He could watch them for hours. When Addam reaches up to kiss Brand, Rune’s heart swells with affection. _The two of them are so soft with one another_. He loves it. 

_He loves them._

He takes his time closing the door and returning to bed, sliding in on Addam’s left side. “Don’t mind me.” His voice is quiet and content as he reaches over Addam with one hand and links his fingers with Brand’s. “You two are perfect.” 

“Perfect and in need of sleep,” Addam breathes. He winds one of his hands around Rune and the other around Brand. “And a shower but that can come in the morning. Rune, can you hand me my phone?” 

Rune reaches behind himself, blindly looking for a phone before he finally gives it to Addam. “What, selfie time already?” 

“I always send you two a goodnight selfie.” Addam lifts up his camera and angles it so that the three of them fit inside the frame. Rune on his left, Brand on his right, both of them wearing his large shirts as pajamas while Addam lay shirtless. The barest hint of hickey shows up on his neck. He quickly snaps the picture and saves it, then gently drops his phone back behind Rune. 

“Would you two allow me to post that tomorrow? Show the world that all three of us are taken?” If they say no, Addam does not mind just keeping it as a lockscreen. 

Rune hums at his side, curling against him and yawning. “Only if you write more love letters. They are cute when they come from you.”

Tell them I gave you the hickey,” Brand answers, a yawn coming from him as well. “Now go to bed or else I’ll make us run in the morning.” The threat feels loose when it’s coming from worn out lips. 

Addam laughs quietly, a wave of balance taking over him as he lets both Rune and Brand’s weight fall asleep on him. In the morning, he _will_ tell the world Brand gave him a hickey and he _will_ write Rune another love letter. He’ll do anything for these two, for centuries’ more mornings to come. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOSH THAT WAS A LONG RIDE WASN'T IT!!! Thank you so much for reading and enjoying!  
> Shout out to Mel for being patient and ahhh happy birthday darling.


End file.
